A pair of voyeurism cases were among the most highly-read stories produced by our newsroom in 2023 (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

voyeurism cases

Top Stories of 2023: Nanaimo men busted for disturbing voyeurism, sex crimes

Dec 19, 2023 | 3:14 PM

NANAIMO — A diligent police officer and brave victim helped unravel a pair of highly damaging and disturbing voyeurism cases.

NanaimoNewsNOW profiled the actions of two men, including one who can’t be named, whose actions upended the lives of their family and victims.

Unnamed offender
A mid-June sentencing hearing uncovered one of the more serious breach of trust cases locally in recent memory, with the offender’s own wife a primary victim.

The offender, who can’t be named to protect his wife’s identity, was sentenced to 20 months in jail after he pleaded guilty to three sex related crimes.

A decade-long list of conditions specifically assigned to offenders who victimize minors will take effect once he’s released from jail and he’ll appear on the National Sex Offender Registry for 20 years.

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The once respected medical professional first appeared on the radar of police when a sharp-eyed municipal cop in central Saanich was snooping online for people accessing or uploading child porn.

Tying the offender’s IP address to his Nanaimo home early in May 2021, the officer uncovered seven child porn videos in the man’s possession.

Several days later Nanaimo RCMP raided the offender’s home, resulting in numerous devices seized and an astounding 30,000 child porn images located.

While outlining the facts, the Crown’s Leanne Mascolo told court a secret video camera was found in one of the home’s washrooms.

The target was the offender’s then wife in various states of undress, who was recorded in four videos late in 2020.

“She’s not aware of the camera’s existence. She’s also seen in those videos using the bathroom, coming in and out of the shower…and Mr____is actually seen on the video setting it up in a bathroom cabinet,” Mascolo said.

An unnamed offender enters court prior to being jailed for child porn charges and a voyeurism offence. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

A victim impact statement from the woman outlined the devastating effects the crimes had and continue to have on her and her daughter.

The offender’s lawyer said his client turned to child porn about a decade prior to offending during a tumultuous period when their child was born and he he lost his job.

A psychological assessment deemed the offender a low to moderate risk to re-offend.

During an address to the court the offender, who court was told made strides during counseling, offered a widespread apology.

“I wish I could apologize to my wife and daughter. I knew that I damaged and caused them trauma. I didn’t actually know the extent until I read the impact statement this morning. I feel terrible about the impact it’s had on them.”

Lorne Raymond Gale
One of our most highly-read stories of the year involved an offender who didn’t go to to jail.

Lorne Raymond Gale, 44, pleaded guilty to a downgraded charge of attempted voyeurism in mid-November and was sentenced the same day in provincial court in Nanaimo.

Described by his lawyer as an accomplished engineer, provider for his family and devoted to a non-denominational sect of the Christian faith, Gale couldn’t contain his urges around his daughter’s 13-year-old friend.

The girl visiting from the Lower Mainland was in the shower of Gale’s home when he attempted to take pictures through an exterior window.

The offender was quickly called out by the girl, with Gale admitting soon after what he had done.

Gale claimed he deleted the pictures shortly after taking them and that they did not clearly capture the victim due to an insect screen in the window.

He fully admitted to what happened and apologized to the victim’s family the following day.

About a week after the incident, a raid at Gale’s Cedar home turned up nothing untoward.

Lorne Gale during a break in his Nov. 15 sentencing hearing in Nanaimo. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

An ensuing interview at the Nanaimo RCMP detachment heard Gale state he had nothing to hide and that he didn’t have a sexual preference for children.

“He did tell the officer she’s well developed, has a large chest and a fine physique and she’s a beautiful girl,” the Crown’s Leanne Mascolo told the court.

Mascolo said Gale then repeated his observation that the victim was a well-developed young woman and that her age didn’t match her physical appearance.

Gale maintained his perplexing offence was a knee-jerk, impulsive decision.

Dale Marshall, Gale’s lawyer, said his client’s statement was in response to whether Gale was attracted to children.

“In his stress and clumsiness and forthright cooperation with police, he expressed to them that ‘well she’s a very mature young girl’ and was putting into context to the question whether he had any fantasies about children,” Marshall said.

Despite a request from the Crown for a short jail sentence and life-long criminal record, Gale was issued a conditional discharge and 30 months probation, meaning his record will be wiped clean if he abides by his probationary conditions.

While the victim and her family opted not to attend the sentencing hearing, the young girl’s mother submitted a powerful letter to the court.

She said immediately following the incident her daughter had a sudden lack of trust, feared sleeping, had a distrust of public washrooms, and was cautious around adults, particularly men.

Gale declined to address the court, nor did he wish to speak in court when given the opportunity to do so.

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