Some phone snooping by his significant other resulted in a prison term for a local man after “horrific images” of child pornography were found.
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The 46-year-old man’s domestic dispute turned into a criminal investigation when his long-time partner went to police with a video of what she discovered, including several thousand images of girls ranging in age from one to 12 years.
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In May, 2022, police found some of the photos depicting torture, bondage, degradation and bestiality. The father of two pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
“This offense is extremely serious,” Justice Kathleen Baker said in a Brantford courtroom as she recently sentenced the man, who cannot be named due to a publication ban.
“Those are real children who have been subjected to that torture, degradation, bestiality and unspeakable things. By accessing that, you fuel the demand that allows for this dreadful abuse of children.”
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The judge reminded the man that the children in the photos and videos are continually re-victimized and grow up knowing the horrific images of their abuse are “totally out of their control” and will never disappear.
The man also threatened to have someone kill the woman.
“I’m disgusted at myself every day,” the man told the judge.
“I’m going to use this situation to progress in a positive manner.”
The man’s defense lawyer, Dean Paquette, urged a two-year sentence for his client so he could go to prison where he would “get far better treatment” for his issues than in the overcrowded jail system.
Paquette said the man had a traumatic young life where abuse resulted in an acquired brain injury, but he became a successful employee with ties to St. Catharines, Toronto and Brantford.
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“The material he was in possession of was awful,” said Paquette. “He needs counseling for sexual deviancy and the underlying pathology.”
Justice Baker agreed with the joint submission for a two-year sentence, saying the man had quickly stepped up and pleaded guilty at a time when the courts were heavily burdened and despite the potential charter issues connected to how the material was brought to police.
But she said the offense had an “incredible impact” on the man’s appalled partner and she wanted to send a message to the community that it is not acceptable to access or possess child pornography.
The man will be on the sexual offenders registry for 20 years and is under an order to stay away from parks, swimming areas, schools, and daycares where children under 16 could be present.
Except for his own underage child, the man must not be in contact with anyone under 16 unless he’s under the direct supervision of someone 25 or older who is aware of his conviction.
“It’s going to be a difficult time for you while you are in the penitentiary,” Baker said, “but it has some good programming and I urge you to take advantage of it.”
@EXPSGamble
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