Police and prosecutors in Virginia want to take photograph’s of a teen’s erect penis to prove it was him that sent an explicit message to his teenage girlfriend.

The unnamed 17-year-old boy has been arrested for possession and manufacture of “child pornography”, which could lead to imprisonment until he is 21 and life on the sex offenders register. However, the images in question were explicit photographs taken by his 15-year-old girlfriend and sent to him, and an explicit video of himself that he sent back.

The boy was arrested in January after a tip off by the mother of his girlfriend, who has not been charged.

Whilst in custody, police forced him to disrobe and took pictures of his genitalia, as his aunt described to NBC Washington:

“They took him to a room and took pictures of his genitalia. I asked if they’re allowed to do that, and [the boy]said, “I tried to refuse,” which he did, he didn’t want to do it. They told him if he did not they would do it by force.”

According to the boy’s lawyer, Jessica Harbeson Foster, Manassas City police and Prince William County prosecutors now want to take him to hospital, inject him so that he would involuntarily get an erection, and then take more pictures of his penis. She told the Washington Post: