Graham Tanner possessed an extensive and extremely egregious collection of child porn. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

egregious offending

Lantzville senior jailed for ‘horrific’ child porn haul

Jan 24, 2025 | 3:38 PM

Editor’s note: This article contains details of children being sexually abused. Reader discretion is strongly advised.

NANAIMO — A Lantzville retiree with no prior criminal record knew exactly why Nanaimo Mounties were knocking on his door in May 2021.

A search warrant uncovered at least four thousand child porn images and videos on three devices at his home, with most of the victims being girls between about four and eight years old.

Graham Tanner, now 76-years-old, was cooperative and cordial with police.

“I know why you’re here,” he told a pair of investigating officers.

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“I probably need some help anyways, so I kind of got in a dark place lately”

Tanner said he always expected the police to come for him, but noted he never paid for the illegal material, thinking his conduct was “a grey area.”

The extensive collection included victims graphically sexually abused by adults, Crown counsel’s Tania Holland told a provincial court sentencing hearing in Nanaimo on Friday, Jan. 24.

Some of the victims were babies, while young boys were also victimized.

Extended videos included young children yelling in pain, while Holland noted the sordid collection also included bestiality.

Holland outlined an overview of the egregious material for several minutes.

“I know it’s difficult to describe those images, but important for the court to know what those images and videos are.”

Holland said Tanner was both downloading and uploading the illegal material.

Tanner had 25 devices, including multiple computers in his home, however Holland told court due to investigative priorities only five per cent of the offender’s material was examined.

Pre-sentence and psychiatric reports were conducted in November several months after Tanner pleaded guilty to a charge of accessing child pornography.

Tanner, who had no prior criminal record, reported he was depressed after the death of his wife in 2019.

While police tracked his illegal conduct over the course of just over a year, Tanner reported he began accessing child porn in his early 50s.

The former longtime Ladysmith resident stated that he became desensitized to legal adult porn.

The sentencing hearing expanded on Tanner’s positive post-offence conduct, including gaining substantial insight into his behaviour.

Tanner has undergone extensive counselling over the past two-and-a-half years, including over 130 sessions at the Courtenay-based Upper Island Sex Offender program.

While a psychologist determined Tanner is considered a low risk to re-offend, he should not have unsupervised contact with minors as he is attracted to children.

His risk factors would rise if he doesn’t manage his urges through counselling, which court heard Tanner is committed to continue doing.

Tanner has a diagnosis of pedophilic disorder.

The Crown’s Holland said child porn traumatizes and harms its victims for the rest of their lives.

“Looking at child pornography is child abuse,” Holland told court. “These victims, whose images are circulated online and collected, live with the knowledge that an infinite number of strangers can watch their sexual exploitation over and over.”

Defence attorney Dale Marshall said Tanner’s life spiralled downward after his wife’s passing, noting he was unintentionally uploaded illegal material online.

He said Tanner didn’t handle moving to Lantzville well after the death of his wife and that his already acute isolation issues worsened during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tanner has always been upfront about his offending and never wavered on taking accountability for his actions, Marshall told the court.

“He has done everything possible in the two-and-a-half years since to address the issue, minimize the risk and taking responsibility,” Marshall said.

Tanner was handed a one-year jail sentence, followed by two years probation after a joint sentencing submission was accepted by the judge.

His name will be added to the police-only accessible National Sex Offender Registry for 20 years and he was ordered to provide a DNA sample.

Ten years of restrictions for sex offenders will apply to Tanner post-release, including staying away from public parks and indoor recreational facilities and schools where children may reside.

Tanner will require permission to be in the presence of minors throughout the 10-year order, while extensive internet usage restrictions will also apply.

The offender rose and made a brief, unscripted statement to the court.

“It’s clear to me that I’ve hurt a lot of people, I’m sorry,” Tanner said.

Judge Brian Harvey said child porn offences are “extremely damaging” and “horrific.”

Tanner was hand-cuffed and taken to jail as several supporters looked on and his sister was in tears.

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by Ian Holmes