Girls Aloud in 'murder' blog case

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A civil servant is being prosecuted over an internet blog which detailed the kidnap, torture and murder of the pop group Girls Aloud.

Darryn Walker, 35, of South Shields, South Tyneside, is accused of writing and posting the 12-page "Girls (Scream) Aloud" story on a fantasy porn site.

He was arrested by Scotland Yard officers earlier this year and charged under the Obscene Publications Act.

He is next due to appear at Newcastle Crown Court on 22 October.

The blog was brought to the attention of police by the Internet Watch Foundation - an organisation for the public and IT professionals which polices potentially obscene material.

The test is whether the material is likely to deprave or corrupt those reading or viewing it Scotland Yard spokeswoman

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said it was unusual to see a prosecution brought under obscenity laws which did not involve pornographic images in magazines or DVDs.

She said: "The vast majority of prosecutions brought under the Obscene Publications Act have related to images; be they photographs, be they computer-generated images, or videos.

"It is very unusual to be prosecuted for a case involving the written word.

"The test is whether the material is likely to deprave or corrupt those reading or viewing it."

Mr Walker was arrested at his home on Mowbray Road, South Shields, by officers from the Obscene Publications Unit on 27 February.

He is alleged to have written the article, which describes the rape, mutilation and killing of the group, either on or before 7 August last year.

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said Mr Walker appeared before South Tyneside Magistrates on 10 July charged with the publication of an obscene article.

He entered no plea and was granted unconditional bail, the spokesman said.