A GREENOCK man facing charges of having indecent images of children and extreme bestiality pornography is set to go on trial before a jury next week.

The protracted case against Robert Leith - which has now entered its fourth year - is due to be heard at the sheriff court on Monday following several delays and postponements.

Leith, 65, is accused of alleged sexual offences dating from the turn of the century up until 2021.

It is claimed he was in possession of extreme pornography 'depicting in an explicit and realistic way' bestiality, over the period between 2011 and 2021.

He is also said to have taken or permitted to be taken, or made, indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children.

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He committed the alleged indecent child images offences between February 1999 and July 2021, according to prosecutors.

At a previous calling of proceedings, Leith offered a plea of guilty to the bestiality charge only, and not guilty to the child images charges, but this was rejected by the Crown.

Trials had previously been scheduled for June and November last year but the prosecution was held up on both occasions.

Leith, who has a west end address in court papers, appeared in the dock for the latest preliminary calling of the case on Tuesday to maintain his pleas of not guilty to three indictment charges through solicitor Gerry Keenan.

Mr Keenan and procurator fiscal depute Maria Murdoch confirmed both sides are now ready for trial.

Sheriff David Pender continued the case to a jury trial scheduled to begin on January 29.