A Lancaster University student has been arrested and charged while in the states.

Naran Francis Darjaa, who was studying at the University of Richmond on a year abroad as part of an exchange programme, was arrested by campus officials on February 20.

The Lancaster student has subsequently been charged with four separate offences, three relating to the possession of child pornography and one relating to distribution.

Darjaa is currently in custody awaiting trial, court records show that he is due to have a hearing on March 31.

According to the Richmond university crime log, the possession offences took place on February 20, and the distribution offence occurred back in December 2019.

They all occurred at the higher education facility's Robins Hall accomodation.

All the crimes were reported to Richmond Police on February 20 at 1pm and Darjaa was arrested at 2:52 pm the same day.

A person “who knowingly possesses child pornography” is guilty of a Class 6 felony, according to the Virginia code.

But Darjaa has commit a second or subsequent violation of the offence, that means if he is found guilty it will be a Class 5 felony, a more serious crime.

In the UK, Darjaa might have been served a community order for his crimes. If the images were category A (IE the most extreme of child pornography) and depending on how many he had possessed or distributed, he could be in prison for a maximum of five years.

According to the Virginia Code he will spend a minimum of five years in prison if found guilty.

Lancaster University has stated that they will not comment on individual cases.