A POLICE officer accused of possessing and distributing around 1,500 child porn images has denied the charges in court.

PC Lee Vincent Kelly, who works for Greater Manchester Police (GMP), pleaded not guilty to seven counts concerning indecent images of children and extreme pornography.

The 49-year-old undercover cop from East Lancashire denies three counts of making of indecent images of children including 249 category A images, 146 category B images and 1,091 category C images and the possession of 1,486 indecent images.

He also pleaded not guilty to the distribution of indecent images and the possession of 55 prohibited images of a child and possession of two extreme pornographic images portraying rape.

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All the charges span between April 2009 and December 19, 2016.

Lisa Roberts QC, defending, applied for an order banning the press from publishing the defendant's address and photograph, which was opposed by a submission from the Press Association.

The order was granted by Judge Mark Brown, sitting at Preston Crown Court.

Kelly, currently a serving officer suspended from duty by GMP, was given unconditional bail to appear for a further hearing on March 16 next year ahead of a five day trial starting on April 16, 2018.