VICTORIA, British Columbia, Sept. 20 (UPI) -- A Canadian teenager has been charged with distributing child pornography after she allegedly sent a nude photo of another girl on her cellphone, officials say.
The attorney for the 16-year-old Victoria-area girl says he will challenge the constitutional validity of the charges, saying they amount to age discrimination, CBC News reported Thursday.
The girl is accused of texting nude pictures of her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend without her permission and of uttering threats.
A judge ruled Thursday the case will go to trial before the constitutional challenge will be heard.
Attorney Christopher Mackie contends the child pornography laws "were created in order to protect children, so is it appropriate to use those provisions now to prosecute children?"
Saanich police Sgt. Steve Eassie contends the photos were sent as an act of bullying.
"This it appears was part of harassment or threatening behavior on the part of the accused," he said.
The mother of the accused girl says no one else involved in the case has been charged.
"They should have all been, suffered the same consequences, if you want to say," she said, "but also, they should all been offered the same counseling, they should have been offered the same education as far as the negative effects that this can have on them. Everybody's a loser here, really."
The names of those involved have not been released because they are all minors.
