Lars Friis, 77, during a break in his provincial court sentencing hearing in Nanaimo on Thursday, Jan. 15. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

Sex offender

Nanaimo senior jailed for collecting thousands of child abuse images

Jan 16, 2026 | 5:33 AM

Editor’s note: This article contains details of child sex abuse material. Reader discretion is strongly advised. 

NANAIMO — A retiree tried to rationalize his substantial child exploitation material haul following a police bust at his Nanaimo home.

Lars Friis, 77, was jailed for eight months and issued numerous court-ordered conditions after a sentencing hearing at the Nanaimo Law Courts on Thursday, Jan. 15.

Crown counsel Tania Holland told court a Microsoft search engine flagged illegal material between March and October 2023, linked to a Nanaimo IP address.

A search warrant was approved by a judge, allowing Nanaimo Mounties to raid the home of an unsuspecting Friis in late February 2024.

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Twenty electronic devices were seized, with three laptops and a USB drive producing nearly 11,900 child exploitation images, according to an agreed statement of facts.

Most of the images were of nude children posing, Holland revealed, while around 530 featured girls being sexually abused, including penetrative acts by adult males.

Holland described several examples of the horrifying abuse of girls estimated to be between six and 12-years-old.

Seven images featured bestiality or sadism, considered at the most severe category of the offending scale.

Crown concerned by comments to forensic evaluator

A psychological assessment considered Friis, who had no prior criminal record, to be a low-risk for any potential future hands-on sexual violence, with the risk being elevated if under the influence of substances.

Friis told the psychologist during a court-ordered assessment that he started viewing illegal pornography when he was about 65 or 66-years-old.

“It was young women, children I guess, for sure, but I didn’t start that way,” Friis said during the assessment.

The offender said he was “horrified” when he was charged about a year after the police raid and he didn’t think the material he consumed was “forbidden.”

Friis reported to the psychologist he didn’t know the ages of the girls, and he masturbated to the material.

“Fourteen to 18 kind of thing, what I considered young women,” Friis said.

The Crown’s Holland clearly stated her concerns about a lack of insight provided by the offender.

Statements by Friis in the forensic evaluation, such as “I can’t believe this happened to me,” were referenced by Holland.

“There’s nothing in this report that talks about the victims, the effect on the victims, the remorse for engaging in this activity — it was very much about himself and how this has impacted him.”

Friis described himself as a recluse.

“We know that he had images much younger than 14 and we know that he didn’t see anything wrong with what he was doing,” Holland told court, who noted Friis does not have a history of mental health issues.

Friis had a long career in the marine industry in a variety of capacities, including as a captain and deckhand of large commercial vessels which travelled internationally.

He also worked with North Island College in a certification role, overseeing aspiring marine industry professionals.

Friis’ Facebook account heavily features political commentary, as well as his apparent concern for the mistreatment of impoverished children.

The nature and size of the collection, duration of the offending, and the fact the illegal material was found on four devices represented aggravating factors, Holland said.

Friis stood in court to apologize for his conduct.

“I am remorseful, I can’t believe how stupid I have been without any thought about the ramifications or the people. I’m ashamed and embarrassed about it.”

The offender said he’s been “banished” by family members due to his offending.

Court was told Friis fully complied with the extended pre-sentencing conditions.

James Arends, Friis’ lawyer, told court it was always his client’s intention to take accountability by pleading guilty.

Arends noted Friis freely provided passwords to Nanaimo RCMP to allow investigators to more easily examine his devices.

Judge Chris Churchill accepted a joint sentence recommendation of eight months’ jail, two years’ probation, 10-years of restrictions specifically for sex offenders, as well as DNA and forfeiture orders.

Friis will appear on the National Sex Offender Registry for 20-years.

“The offence you have committed and are being sentenced for today is devastating for children,” Churchill said just prior to Friis being led away in handcuffs.

While a possession charge was prosecuted, a charge of importing/distributing child exploitation material was stayed by Crown counsel in exchange for Friis’ guilty plea, which was made last August.

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