A 66-year-old Campbell River man has been sentenced to 13 months in jail followed by two years’ probation after pleading guilty to possessing images of child sexual abuse.
Leslie Harold Hamilton, who was sentenced April 12 in provincial court, is prohibited from attending public parks, swimming pools, daycares, school grounds, playgrounds or community centres for five years. He must also give a sample of his DNA to authorities.
In May 2021, the Campbell River RCMP major crime unit was informed that images of child sexual abuse had been detected online by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Const. Maury Tyre said Monday.
Police tracked the images to a Campbell River residence, where they executed a search warrant in October 2021. Several digital devices, containing thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse, were seized and charges were laid against Hamilton.
“People need to understand that viewing and possessing child pornography is not a victimless crime,” Insp. Jeff Preston said Monday. “In fact, it creates a market and demand for the further exploitation and abuse of children.”
Campbell River RCMP say they saw a 25% increase in reports involving images of child sexual abuse from 2021 to 2022, and the increase is expected to continue in 2023.
“Unfortunately, these types of investigations are becoming more common in policing,” said Preston. “It’s very important for people to understand that there is no real anonymity on the internet. Everything you do carries a digital footprint, and it can and will lead back to you.”
Police receive information from online platforms and law-enforcement agencies around the world about those who are viewing, downloading and uploading child sexual-abuse images, said Preston.
The investigations are extremely sensitive and time-consuming, said the inspector. Multiple search warrants are often required, and investigators executing those warrants enter homes and businesses and seize all digital equipment capable of searching for or storing images or videos.
“Effectively, no stone is left unturned as police comb through search histories and all media within the digital device,” he said, adding: “Despite the immense volume of work involved in these investigations, it’s well worth it to protect those most vulnerable in our world.”
ldickson@timescolonist.com
