Man charged over child porn

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POLICE  have arrested and charged an Inverell man after he allegedly coerced three local teenagers into sending sexually explicit images of themselves to him.

New England Local Area Command detectives launched an investigation in mid-2011 after the girls, aged 13, 14 and 15, advised they'd received harassing and threatening text messages on their mobile phones.

They told police a man had threatened to distribute explicit photos of them unless they continued to send him photos and videos of themselves in a state of undress and performing sex acts.

Following extensive inquiries, police arrested a 29-year-old Inverell man at his home about 9.20am yesterday (Thursday).

He was taken to the local police station, while officers seized mobile phones, computer equipment and digital media devices from his home - containing a large amount of pornographic material.

The man was subsequently charged with 14 offences, including use carriage service to procure person aged under 16 years for sexual activity; possess child pornography material; use carriage service to menace/harass/offend; and use carriage service to threaten serious harm.

He has been refused bail to appear in Inverell Local Court today.