Former West Vancouver school counsellor sentenced for possessing child porn
A former counsellor from Mulgrave School in West Vancouver has been sentenced to four months in jail for possession of child pornography.
Luke Lawson was arrested in September 2020 after police found dozens of printed photos of nude girls aged eight to 13 years old inside his apartment, including a collage of them on his fridge.
The photos were from various nudism and naturalism websites, and had been altered to focus exclusively on the young girls’ naked bodies. Lawson had emailed the photos from his personal account to his work account, and then printed them off at school.
Lawson, who was fired from his job at Mulgrave, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. His lawyers argued for a conditional discharge, and Crown wanted him to serve six months in prison.
Because the images did not show any sexual activity, the judge said “the nature of the material was less degrading or exploitative than most (pornographic) material created online.” She said Lawson had suffered greatly for the offence, losing his job, his sense of self-worth and his relationship with his teenage daughter.
But she agreed with Crown that jail time was appropriate in this case. In sentencing the 54-year-old to four months, the judge told Lawson, “It was your duty as professional who worked with children to protect them from harm,” and “your level of moral blame is high.”
After his prison term, Lawson will be on probation for 18 months, with a long list of conditions including staying away from places where children may gather.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
Crypt near Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner could fetch US$400,000 at auction
A one-space mausoleum crypt in the vicinity of Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner will go on auction Saturday, when it is expected to reach between US$200,000 and $400,000.
This Toronto restaurant is no longer accepting tips. Here's how it's going
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff – tipping is no longer accepted.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Premiers not being truthful about carbon tax, Trudeau says while sparks fly in Ottawa
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Conservative premiers across the country are 'not telling the truth' when it comes to the carbon tax. Trudeau's comments came as fresh sparks were flying in Ottawa at a recalled House of Commons committee.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
What new auto insurance reforms will mean for Ontarians, if they get introduced
Ontario has among the highest rates for auto insurance premiums in Canada -- just below Alberta and Nova Scotia -- however, the introduction of an insurance reform in the provincial budget could soon lower prices.