A disgraced former Powys vicar who admitted possessing more than 56,000 indecent images of children has appealed against his jail term.

The Reverend Richard Hart, 59, who also admitted taking and making indecent photographs of children, claims his sentence of three-and-a-half-years was too harsh.

A spokesman for the Court of Appeal in London said: “I can confirm we are now processing an appeal for Hart. The process is currently at the single judge stage and a decision on the appeal has been made, but because of legal reasons can’t be disclosed for another two weeks.”

Hart had been vicar of the rural parish of Beguildy, near Knighton.

He served St Michael’s Church in Beguildy, St Cynllo in Llangullo, St Mary Magdalene in Bleddfa, St David in Heyope and St Padarn’s in Llanbadarn Fynydd, since 2001.

He has been suspended following his arrest in January. Hart, formerly of The Vicarage, Beguildy, was jailed at Cardiff Crown Court in September.

The vicar, whose address in court was given as Horsell, Woking, admitted 12 charges of making indecent photographs between 1999 and 2007, and four of taking such images in July 1991. 

He also admitted possessing a total of 56,832 photographs ranging from categories one to five, with five being the most serious.

A Church in Wales spokeswoman said the father-of-five would face a tribunal to decide his future with the church.

Hart was also suspended from his position as a governor at Beguildy School, where his wife Julie, 40, worked part-time.