FORMER Wycombe District Councillor Robert Bate has been charged with possessing child pornography.

The ex-Hazlemere Parish Council Chairman has today been charged with 17 counts of possessing indecent images of children, four counts of possessing extreme pornography and four counts of distributing indecent images of children.

The 62-year-old has also been charged with possession of indecent images of children with a view to show, and encouraging another to distribute indecent images of children.

Bate of Moncrieffe Close, Dudley, has been bailed to appear before High Wycombe Magistrates on February 7.