A sex offender whose identity is protected by a publication ban refused to comment while entering court ahead of his sentencing hearing in provincial court in Nanaimo on Thursday, July 15.  He pleaded guilty to a pair of child porn charges in March. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

CHILD PORN

Nanaimo man sentenced after child porn bust reveals hundreds of victims

Jul 16, 2021 | 5:31 AM

Editor’s Note: The following story contains details of documented abuse of children and is not suitable for all readers. Discretion is advised.

NANAIMO — A large child porn bust linked to a Nanaimo man led to shocking revelations he shared pictures of his own young daughter as part of disturbing online chats.

The man who can’t be named was handed a one year jail sentence and 18 months probation after he pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child pornography during a six month stretch between 2019 and 2020.

An agreed statement of facts revealed on March 4, 2020, Nanaimo RCMP used a search warrant after being tipped off by the National Child Exploitation Centre regarding illegal media linked to the IP address at the home of the accused.

700 pictures and over 40 videos of child porn were found by police on the offender’s cell phone during the raid.

high profile development

Howard Johnson rezoning still supported amid 'significant concerns' from SFN

5m ago

closing arguments

Crown refutes self-defence claims for Nanaimo woman on trial for murder/dismembering ex-boyfriend

13h ago

rental rules

Thousands of short-term rentals go back to long-term May 1: B.C. government

16h ago

Most of the illegal material involved men sexually assaulting young girls, some as young as about five-years-old.

The offender’s wife answered the door during the early morning raid, while the offender and the couple’s daughter were also home when four officers swooped in.

One of the responding officers noticed a series of text conversations and pictures shared by the offender on a social media site.

A follow-up expanded search warrant was then ordered and granted, proving the offender shared videos and images to users on the social media platform more than 200 times.

The offender shared pictures of his nine-year-old daughter while she was in a bathtub, while another image involved the girl wearing a Halloween costume.

He claimed he sexually assaulted his daughter during a series of highly disturbing conversations.

No inappropriate physical contact with the offender’s daughter arose during interviews with her.

Defence lawyer Brian Sutton said the claims were made by his client to find acceptance with people he chatted with.

The offender was removed from the home and hasn’t returned as ordered by the ministry of children and family development.

“Big ramifications, horrible results,” Sutton said “He’s not a despicable person, but he did some despicable things.”

Sutton said his client’s life went downhill after losing his longtime job managing a chain of restaurants in Alberta.

His family moved to Nanaimo for a fresh start, however the offender languished in a cycle of chronic marijuana use, social isolation, depression and formed suicidal thoughts.

While the offender obtained a good job in Nanaimo, court was told his deteriorating mental health issues persisted, coinciding with his illegal online behaviour.

A pre-sentence report outlined he showed little insight into how his offending hurt children, but that he later gained considerable understanding during 16 months of treatment.

Staff at a renowned group therapy program for sex offenders based in Courtenay reported the offender made significant strides in his rehabilitation.

A psychologist determined the offender is in the low range to re-offend.

The remorseful offender told judge Brian Harvey he takes full responsibility for his actions, saying he didn’t know how to deal with negative feelings about his past.

“I just wish I had zero victims involved. I unfortunately can’t change the past. I can definitely learn from what I’ve done.”

The man said he acquired valuable tools during extensive therapy in a pair of programs allowing him to manage his stress and emotions as opposed to ignoring those feelings.

The defence lobbied for a six month jail term.

Crown prosecutor Brett Webber requested 18 to 24 months behind bars, telling court the offender victimized 740 children.

“It will impact them for the rest of their lives,” Webber emphasized during final sentencing arguments.

Judge Harvey said it was a difficult case to render judgment for, citing the offender’s egregious conduct, while also highlighting meaningful rehabilitative steps made.

“That being said there is no way to sugarcoat the facts of this case, particularly communications surrounding his own daughter to others. In my view there must be a clear message sent that this type of behaviour is despicable and must be denounced in strong terms.”

The offender’s wife is supportive of her husband and was in court during the Thursday, July 15 hearing in provincial court in Nanaimo.

She welled up in tears as her husband was handcuffed and escorted to jail.

He was also handed 18 months probation following his jail sentence with stringent conditions.

Numerous other court ordered conditions tailored for sex offenders will also apply for five years upon the man’s release, including staying away from minors and internet restrictions.

He was ordered to supply a DNA sample and will appear on the National Sex Offender Registry for 20 years, allowing police nation-wide easy access to his whereabouts.

He won’t be allowed to live with his wife and daughter until the province is satisfied his child will be safe with him in the home.

The offender’s only other prior involvement with law enforcement was a dated impaired driving conviction.

His identity is withheld to protect his daughter’s privacy.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes