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Darrell Gilkes leaves a court appearance in Nanaimo on July 19, 2023, where he introduced an application to vary his release conditions to return to Ontario. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)
charged

Former Nanaimo teacher faces child porn charges

May 9, 2024 | 3:48 PM

NANAIMO — A man who previously served as a substitute teacher in School District 68 has been charged with a pair of child porn offences.

Darrell Christopher Gilkes is charged with possession and distributing/importing child pornography in Nanaimo on Dec. 5, 2022.

Those charges against the 31-year-old man were approved by the B.C. Prosecution Service on Wednesday, May 8.

The allegations against Gilkes followed a police raid at his rental suite on Kennedy St. in which several devices were seized and searched by investigators.

Warrants have been issued for Gilkes’ arrest, who was last known to be living in Newmarket, Ont.

Gilkes was successfully granted permission by a Nanaimo judge to relocate to the Ontario city to live with his parents while the police investigation against him continued.

During his application hearing to vary his release conditions, court was told that Gilkes was a teacher-on-call for Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools at multiple high schools during the 2022/23 school year.

He is no longer associated in any way with District 68.

A staff list for Newmarket High School showed Gilkes was employed at his hometown high school during the first semester of the 2023/24 school year.

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Ian.holmes@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes