Case of teens accused of sharing intimate images of girls put over to November
BRIDGEWATER, N.S. — Police and lawyers are seeing a rise in the number of investigations involving the sharing of intimate images without consent, according to a Crown attorney handling one of the largest such cases Nova Scotia has faced following the introduction of legislation dealing with the disturbing phenomenon.
Peter Dostal said Wednesday that the case involving six Nova Scotia teens charged with sharing images of at least 20 high school girls is not the first to test the relatively new legislation, but it is one of the biggest and most complex.
“We certainly would be seeing more now and in recent years we’ve seen a fair number coming through,” he said outside provincial youth court in Bridgewater. “Be it matters that are investigated by police without charge or investigated and brought through diversionary programs…we are seeing a fair number of these enter into the system.”
Two 18-year-olds and four 15-year-olds are facing charges of distributing intimate images without consent, and possessing and distributing child pornography. Their identities are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.