ELEVEN men in the North-East have been charged as part of a nationwide police crackdown on child pornography.

The arrests were made under Operation Ore, the biggest-ever investigation into Internet paedophilia by British police.

The inquiry began after authorities in the US handed British police a list of more than 7,000 men in the UK suspected of using their credit cards to access pay-per-view websites containing child pornography.

At least 1,600 men nationwide have been arrested so far.

Approximately 33 of those arrests have been made in County Durham, at least 35 in North Yorkshire and 61 in the Northumbria police region. Figures for Cleveland Police have so far not been made available.

In the Tyne and Wear area alone, those charged as a result of Operation Ore have included a doctor, a nurse, a teacher, university lecturer, foster carer and dental nurse.

As a result of the latest round of arrests in County Durham, nine of 11 men charged with possessing and downloading child pornography appeared before Peterlee Magistrates yesterday.

Two of those charged, David Carlson, 27, of Lime Street, Chester-le-Street, and Paul Marley, 33, of West End Villas, Coundon, near Bishop Auckland, did not appear.

A warrant was issued for the arrest of Carlson, while Marley sent the court a sick note and was bailed in his absence until May 13.

Others who appeared in court yesterday were; Michele Elio Stefano Valente, 53, of Abbey Road, Pity Me, Durham; Timothy James Case, 26, of Windrush Grove, Darlington; Steven Cuff, 29, of Spring Court, Darlington; Paul Jubb, 23, of Parklands Court, Seaham; David Parsons, 30, of Salters Avenue, Darlington, who gave his address in court as Springholme Terrace, Stockton-on-Tees; Michael Richards, 49, of Adelaide Terrace, Shildon; Jahn James Start, 49, of Pine Street, Grange Villa, Chester-le-Street; Graham Thurlwell, 25, of Moor Crescent, Framwellgate Moor, Durham and Gary Willsher, 38, of Brecon Way, Meadowfield, near Durham.

All were granted bail and will appear again at Peterlee Magistrates' Court on May 13, when they will enter a plea, except for Valente, from Durham.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction in dealing with his case and he will appear in court again on June 20, for committal to crown court.