A young man from the Halifax region has pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography in a high-profile case.
At the centre of the case is a photo showing the victim having sex while vomiting out a window.
Again, having sex is an absurd term to use here. You can't be leaning out a window throwing-up and participating in sex. You certainly wouldn't give anyone consent to have sex with you at such a time, even if it was possible. Rehtaeh was raped!
The Halifax Police and prosecutors have done nothing to bring justice for Rehtaeh, and have certainly continued the abuse contributing to her suicide and pursuing these token charges only out of pressure from the public. There should be an investigation into the spectacular failure of the justice system in this case.
The 19-year-old cannot be identified because he was a minor at the time of the offence in the fall of 2011. The victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, (but she looks a lot like Rehtaeh Parsons) died after she was taken off life-support following a suicide attempt in the spring of 2013.
"This is validation there was a crime," said the victim's father (who has a strong resemblance to Glen Canning) outside court. Still, he says it's hard to be in the courtroom without his daughter.
"She's not there to see people held accountable for what they did to her. I can't help think about that. It gets your stomach all in a knot. It's upsetting. It's a sadness I really think I'd have a hard time describing."
The man admits to sending an image to two girls. From there, it was shared numerous times. OK, so why have the two girls not been charged with distributing child pornography?
"There are a lot of people out there that still have her photograph," said the victim's father. "Nothing's been done to keep anybody else accountable."
Her family said the photo led to the girl's suicide.
"It took away the very essence of who she was," said the victim's mother. "Once that photo appeared she was never the same again."
A second charge of distributing child pornography was withdrawn.
The man will be sentenced Jan. 15 after a pre-sentence report is prepared.
The victim's parents said the boy and his family have harassed them.
"They're deflecting instead of taking any responsibility. So to attack us and say we're trying to ruin their life, I think the victim impact statement might be very different," said the girl's mother.
What a cruel and asinine thing to say that Rehtaeh's parents are trying to ruin their lives. It was the boys who raped Rehtaeh and photographed it and distributed it leading to her suicide. They caused one physical death and two emotional deaths, and now the victims are being accused by the perpetrators. What a perverse way of thinking - no wonder the boys are so screwed up.
Jail time unlikely
Another 20-year-old man was also charged, and got a conditional discharge earlier this month after he pleaded guilty to making child pornography.
An agreed statement of facts delivered in that man's case in September said he took a photograph of the youth who smiled and gave a thumbs-up while having sex with a 15-year-old girl, who was vomiting out a window.
In reading the agreed statement of facts into the court record, the Crown said the girl was not aware that the picture was being taken and did not give consent to it.
The Crown is requesting a sealing order so that no one can see the image at the centre of this case ever again.
The victim's father says the family still wants to know why charges of sexual assault weren't laid. So do I!
At the centre of the case is a photo showing the victim having sex while vomiting out a window.
Again, having sex is an absurd term to use here. You can't be leaning out a window throwing-up and participating in sex. You certainly wouldn't give anyone consent to have sex with you at such a time, even if it was possible. Rehtaeh was raped!
The Halifax Police and prosecutors have done nothing to bring justice for Rehtaeh, and have certainly continued the abuse contributing to her suicide and pursuing these token charges only out of pressure from the public. There should be an investigation into the spectacular failure of the justice system in this case.
The 19-year-old cannot be identified because he was a minor at the time of the offence in the fall of 2011. The victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, (but she looks a lot like Rehtaeh Parsons) died after she was taken off life-support following a suicide attempt in the spring of 2013.
"This is validation there was a crime," said the victim's father (who has a strong resemblance to Glen Canning) outside court. Still, he says it's hard to be in the courtroom without his daughter.
"She's not there to see people held accountable for what they did to her. I can't help think about that. It gets your stomach all in a knot. It's upsetting. It's a sadness I really think I'd have a hard time describing."
The man admits to sending an image to two girls. From there, it was shared numerous times. OK, so why have the two girls not been charged with distributing child pornography?
"There are a lot of people out there that still have her photograph," said the victim's father. "Nothing's been done to keep anybody else accountable."
Her family said the photo led to the girl's suicide.
"It took away the very essence of who she was," said the victim's mother. "Once that photo appeared she was never the same again."
A second charge of distributing child pornography was withdrawn.
 |
| Glen Canning, Rehtaeh's father, and Leah Parsons, Rehtaeh's mother speak to reporters outside the Halifax provincial courthouse on Nov. 24 They say the photo at the centre of child pornography case led to the girl's suicide. |
The victim's parents said the boy and his family have harassed them.
"They're deflecting instead of taking any responsibility. So to attack us and say we're trying to ruin their life, I think the victim impact statement might be very different," said the girl's mother.
What a cruel and asinine thing to say that Rehtaeh's parents are trying to ruin their lives. It was the boys who raped Rehtaeh and photographed it and distributed it leading to her suicide. They caused one physical death and two emotional deaths, and now the victims are being accused by the perpetrators. What a perverse way of thinking - no wonder the boys are so screwed up.
 |
| Laureen Harper, (Prime Minister's wife) right, reviews her speaking notes as Leah Parsons, centre, listens to Lianna McDonald, executive director of the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, speak at a news conference at the centre in Winnipeg |
Another 20-year-old man was also charged, and got a conditional discharge earlier this month after he pleaded guilty to making child pornography.
An agreed statement of facts delivered in that man's case in September said he took a photograph of the youth who smiled and gave a thumbs-up while having sex with a 15-year-old girl, who was vomiting out a window.
In reading the agreed statement of facts into the court record, the Crown said the girl was not aware that the picture was being taken and did not give consent to it.
The Crown is requesting a sealing order so that no one can see the image at the centre of this case ever again.
The victim's father says the family still wants to know why charges of sexual assault weren't laid. So do I!
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