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Child pornography charges laid against Malahide man

A 57-year-old man has been charged with child pornography offences following an investigation by provincial police in Elgin County.

Officers with the OPP child sexual exploitation unit, digital forensics unit, and the local detachment searched a home in Malahide Township on Thursday. They seized an undisclosed number of electronic devices.

A Malahide Township man was arrested. He has since been charged with ten offences, including two counts of making child pornography, three counts of distributing child pornography, four counts of possession of child pornography, and one count of failure to comply with a probation order.

The man was held for a bail hearing in St. Thomas Thursday.

OPP are reminding the public that children are the most vulnerable members of society.

"Many victims of child sexual abuse are so young that they cannot tell their story. Every time an image or video depicting that abuse is shared, that child is re-victimized," OPP said in a statement issued Friday. "Parents are reminded to take a proactive approach to help protect their children from online sexual exploitation by speaking with their children regarding Internet safety."

Parents looking for resources to help them teach their children about online safety can find them at cybertip.ca or protectchildren.ca.

"The OPP will continue to aggressively identify and pursue individuals who use technology to exploit children," OPP added.

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