A suspended DUP councillor has been charged with alleged child sexual grooming.
William Walker, a councillor for Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, was arrested in February following claims made by a so-called "paedophile hunter" group.
The 59-year-old from Killyleagh was later suspended by the DUP pending the outcome of the police investigation.
Read more: DUP suspends councillor following arrest over claims by 'paedophile hunter' group
Police have since charged Mr Walker and he is due to appear in court next month.
A PSNI spokeswoman said: "Detectives from the Police Service's child internet protection team have charged a 59-year-old male with attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to arrange to meet a child following sexual grooming.
"He is expected to appear before Downpatrick Magistrates' Court on September 19.
"As is normal procedure, all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service."
Mr Walker is a long-standing councillor who had also worked in DUP Strangford MP Jim Shannon's constituency office.
He reportedly moved to Scotland following his arrest over claims made to the PSNI by an online paedophile hunter group based in England.
The self-styled group uses what they call "decoys" to pose as underage children and wait to be contacted by adults.
They converse privately online with adults and seek to identify those attempting to groom young people.
Mr Walker was previously chairman of the old Down District Council before the number of councils in Northern Ireland was reduced in 2015 under local government reforms.
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