5 Teens Guilty of Sharing Intimate Images in Bridgewater Dropbox Case

Teenagers plead guilty to sharing nude photos using online account under new law in effect 2 years ago after Rehtaeh Parsons' suicide

By Angela MacIvor, CBC News 

The sixth accused plans to plead guilty, but he was unable to be in court today, according to his lawyer. (Brett Ruskin/CBC)

Five of the six young men accused of sharing intimate images of 20 local high school girls on Nova Scotia's South Shore have pleaded guilty, closing one of Canada's largest prosecutions involving children under a law that came into force two years ago.

The sixth teenager was not in Bridgewater provincial court on Wednesday to enter a plea, but his lawyer Geoff Franklin told CBC News his client intends to plead guilty.

The Crown said he's pleased with the outcome, given two weeks had been set aside for a trial.

"This is going to mean that we don't have to subject the victims in this matter to the court process, which can have a great amount of stress on them," said Peter Dostal.

"Now that we can simply direct our attention toward the penalty phase. That's a pleasing development for us."

What happened

The six were charged following a year-long investigation by Bridgewater police in response to complaints from school officials. Officers seized a number of electronic devices — mainly cellphones.

According to court documents, several female students said they had sent nude photos, but had no idea they were being shared. The photos were initially sent through texts and the social media site Snapchat, according to the documents.

Then the police investigation revealed the existence of two Dropbox accounts that were created in the spring of 2015. Dropbox is an online file-hosting service.

The first account had approximately 60 nude and suggestive photos, with five people accessing its contents, according to the documents.

A second account had most of the same images, with four people able to access it. Both accounts were deleted about a month before the principal of Bridgewater Junior Senior High School notified police in May 2015.

Child porn charges dropped

The six teenagers also faced charges of possession and distribution of child pornography, but Dostal said those charges were dropped.

"The charge of intimate images was the one that best fit the circumstances of this case, so with that concession on the part of the defence we were satisfied with those guilty pleas," he said.

Four of the accused are 15 years old now and two are 18. They were all youths when they committed the offences in 2015, and their identities are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Probation programming

The boys have agreed to attend educational training, similar to restorative justice. 

"We made the decision to keep this within the court system and we think that's necessary because of the seriousness of these allegations," said Dostal.

"The programming itself is designed to recognize the intimate connection that these allegations and these offences have had with the relatively small community of Bridgewater Junior and Senior High School."

Crown attorney Peter Dostal said he's pleased the victims won't have to go through the court process now that guilty pleas have been entered. (CBC)

Dostal says he hopes the programming will "bring home the significance of these offences."

"We'll find out how they respond to that programming, and depending on how they respond, that will likely inform our position. So the ball is in their court, and we do hope they're not simply saying they are remorseful and they can actually show it," he said.

"Once we have those results, we will be able to make an informed position for the judge."

The teenagers will return to court on July 31 for sentencing.

Local victims

Police have said more than 20 female victims were targeted in the case and most of them were students who attended Bridgewater Junior Senior High School.

In some cases, police say, the boys took and shared photos of themselves in order to get pictures in return. Some girls learned about the Dropbox accounts and later turned over their phones to school officials.

The names of the accused and the girls who appear in the photos are protected by a court order, but police say all of the girls involved lived or have lived in the Bridgewater area.

Distribution of intimate images without consent is a relatively new law, which came into force in May 2015, designed to combat illegal sharing of images.

Nova Scotia's New Sexual Violence Awareness Campaign Inspired by The Simpsons, BoJack Horseman

Nova Scotia government comfortable with 'satirical strong language' in order to get message across

By Cassie Williams, CBC News

In the first part of the video, an anthropomorphized owl is seen taking a drunk bee upstairs. Luckily the owl's puffin friend interjects and sets his friend straight on consent. (birdsandthebees.ca)

The province's new sexual violence awareness campaign is drawing on popular adult-themed animated shows like The Simpsons and Netflix's BoJack Horseman to talk to teens about the difficult topic. 

The campaign kicked off Tuesday with a 60-second video and related website of animated birds and bees at a house party in what the province is calling "a modern twist on the popular metaphor."

In the first part of the video, an anthropomorphized owl is seen taking a drunk bee upstairs. Luckily the owl's puffin friend interjects.

"Dude, she's been on the nectar all night," the puffin says, adding the female bee is in no shape to consent to sex. 

"Doesn't count when you're wrecked. Hammered equals date rape." 

  video 1:00

The campaign contains some minor swearing and Community Services Minister Joanne Bernard hopes the unusually-edgy-for-government take will get through to teens.

"This is something that we're very proud of," said Bernard.

"Talking about sexual violence is difficult, it's uncomfortable. This group, this demographic in Nova Scotia, has told us quite clearly: 'We're ready to talk about it. We want to change the culture, we want to change the conversation and we want to break the silence."

'Satirical strong language' 

The campaign launched to Grade 10 to 12 students at Millwood High in Middle Sackville on Tuesday.
"There's satirical strong language. When you're talking to people in Grade 7 to Grade 12, you have to resonate with them," said Bernard.

"We're quite comfortable with the language and the message that it's giving."

The videos are available on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. They'll also be shown in cinemas across the province. 

The province says this campaign is part of 2015's $6-million sexual violence strategy, the purpose of which is to better support the victims of sexual violence and to educate youth.

Since the sexual violence strategy began, the province has spent $1.25 million on community grants, provided 211 and 811 phone operators with special training, and struck an interdepartmental committee aimed at streamlining government policies related to sexual violence. 

The second round of the innovation grants will be launched in the next few months. There will be another video, similar to this one, coming near Christmas.

"Stay tuned," said Bernard.

sex violence strategy 

The campaign launched to Grade 10 to 12 students at Millwood High in Middle Sackville on Tuesday. (birdsandthebees.ca)

Rehtaeh Parsons case brings topic to forefront

The strategy came after the highly publicized case of Rehtaeh Parsons.

Parsons's family say she was sexually assaulted in November 2011 and bullied for months after a digital photo of the alleged assault was passed around her school.

Sexually assaulted as in gang-raped. She was leaning out a window throwing up when she was 'sexually assaulted'. I'm still trying to figure out how a girl barfing out a window can consent to have sex?

Police said they looked into the allegations of sexual assault, but concluded there weren't enough grounds to lay charges after consulting with the prosecution service.

The police never ever questioned the two boys accused of raping her on the accusation. 

Parsons died after attempting suicide in 2013 and child pornography charges were laid after her death.

Strange wording there - Rehtaeh died after committing suicide in 2013, She attempted suicide several times in the two years previous. Yet neither the police nor crown counsel did anything about her case or the bullying, or the dissemination of the photo of her rape until after she was dead and after the Prime Minister (Harper) stepped in to demand something be done.

A 20-year-old man pleaded guilty in 2014 to distributing a sexually graphic image of Parsons, who was 15 years old at the time of the offence.

Another 20-year-old man pleaded guilty to making child pornography by taking a photo of the first accused having sex with Parsons.

Those were the only charges to come out of the gang-rape and bullying death of a young girl. Neither of the two 'men' ever saw the inside of a jail cell. It was an astonishing travesty of justice, but, at least something good may finally come from it. 

Nova Scotia Court Strikes Down Anti-Cyberbullying Law Created After Rehtaeh Parsons's Death

Nova Scotia was first jurisdiction in Canada to try to regulate cyberbullying

An anti-cyberbullying law passed in Nova Scotia after the bullying and death
 of 17-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons has been struck down by the
Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. (The Canadian Press)

The only positive for the N.S. Department of Justice from the Rehtaeh Parsons mess has been struck down 

By Brett Ruskin, CBC News 

The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia has struck down an anti-cyberbullying law passed in response to the death of Rehtaeh Parsons, CBC News has learned.

The Cyber-Safety Act was the first law passed in Canada aimed at protecting victims of online harassment. The Nova Scotia government introduced it two years ago under intense public pressure after Parsons, a 17-year-old girl, was bullied, attempted suicide and subsequently died.

Parsons's family alleged she was sexually assaulted in November 2011, when she was 15, and bullied for months after a digital photo of the incident was passed around her school. She was taken off life-support after attempting suicide in 2013.

Two sources familiar with the case confirmed independently to CBC News that Supreme Court Justice Glen MacDougall has ruled the cyberbullying law must be eliminated right away — unlike other court decisions that have struck down legislation but offered politicians a one-year grace period to rewrite the laws.

The decision is expected to be released to the public at 1 p.m. AT.

Called too far-reaching

Nova Scotia was the first jurisdiction in Canada to try to regulate cyberbullying. Several other provincial governments were waiting for the law to be tested against a constitutional challenge.

The legislation authorized courts in the province to grant protection orders that limit what alleged cyberbullies can post online.

Critics called the law too broad and far-reaching.

This year, privacy lawyer David Fraser challenged it, saying the law violates Canadian freedom of expression as guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

He argued the law's definition of cyberbullying encompasses everything from political advertising to online commentary. Fraser said the language of the law doesn't accomplish its intention — to protect victims.

It's not known whether the Crown will appeal the ruling.

Rehtaeh Parsons Report Makes 17 Recommendations

'I'm taking these recommendations very seriously,' says 

Justice Minister Diana Whalen

CBC News

Murray Segal, Ontario's former assistant attorney general, makes 17
recommendations in a report issued Thursday into
 the case of Rehteah Parsons. (CBC)

The independent report into the Rehtaeh Parsons case makes 17 recommendations to government, police, and the Public Prosecution Service, aimed at improving how officials respond to similar situations in the future.

The report found the system "failed" on just about every level and outlines a series of improvements to policies, procedures and actions relating to cyberbullying, sexual violence, investigations and prosecutions.

The recommendations also look at roles and responsibilities of government, schools, police and prosecutors.

"I'm taking these recommendations very seriously and I know my partners in government, law enforcement and the Public Prosecution Service will too," Justice Minister Diana Whalen said Thursday.

"I am committed to working with them to address these recommendations and the issues and concerns outlined in the report."

Some Recommendations:

Halifax Regional Police and RCMP revise their sexual assault and child abuse policies. The report is critical of the way police dealt with Parsons. It says officers should not have spoken with her to gather initial information; interviews should be done by investigators with a social worker present. The report says police should create a policy for interviewing underage victims. 

Create an integrated police sex crimes unit that works more closely with the sexual assault investigation team (SAIT) and the integrated child exploitation unit (ICE). Task forces should be created when necessary.

Police should be given specific training as soon as they're assigned to SAIT. Crown prosecutors who handle sexual assault cases should also receive special training.

More Crown prosecutors with specialized training should be available to prosecute ICE cases.
Changes to procedure when the Crown decides there are insufficient grounds to lay a charge or feels there is no realistic chance of a conviction. There should be written reasons for the decision.
Police act quickly when cyberbullying may be criminal.

This looks like a really good start. I sincerely hope that all the recommendations are implemented quickly. I also hope that there is some mechanism recommended to keep up-to-date with rapidly changing technology. Laws, and probably how they are enforced will likely need some considerable flexibility and adaptability.

Sextortionist Walks Away With a Slap on the Wrist

How would you like to be a teenage girl and find a nude photo of yourself on your own Facebook page? That happened in Nova Scotia and the perpetrator suffered almost no consequences.

A Halifax-area man on Friday was given a conditional discharge after he was
convicted in April of extortion, and making and distributing child pornography
(Paul Sakuma/Associated Press)

A Nova Scotia teen convicted of possession and distribution of child pornography and extortion after using fake Facebook accounts to torment two girls online — to the point they tried to take their own lives — won't go to jail for his crimes.

Judge Anne Derrick gave the 19-year-old a conditional discharge, meaning he will have no record if he doesn't violate the conditions accompanying the sentence. She also ordered him to give a DNA sample and perform 100 hours of community service.

As well, the youth:

Is banned from unsupervised computer use, plus a complete ban on social media use.
Must forfeit the computer he used to commit the crimes.

She did not prohibit him from being around children, as the Crown had requested.

Derrick said he "took advantage of the murky opportunities afforded by the internet's anonymity." She described it as a violent offence, as it endangered the safety of the victims and caused psychological harm. 

The youth cannot be identified because he was underage at the time of the crimes, which began in 2012. Before sentencing, he was ordered to undergo a psychiatric assessment.

Derrick told the court that his actions amounted to "thoughtless, casual cruelty."

The accused said in his pre-sentence report to Derrick that his actions in this crime were "like I was in a dream."

"I'm disgusted by my actions so much that it keeps me up nights." Do you think the girls you tortured are sleeping at night?

No certainty things on the internet are gone

In court on Tuesday, the Crown had argued the young man should receive two years of probation, a weapons ban and an order that he stay away from people under age 14.

Mark Heerema, Crown attorney, said this kind of trauma never leaves a victim, especially in the digital age when one can't be certain photos and videos are truly gone from the internet. 

Actually, one can be pretty sure that nothing ever really leaves the internet.

"It goes without saying that it was a very traumatic and difficult experience for the victim," he said.

"Certainly there's a fear that once there are images on the internet, can you ever be certain that they're gone?"

Heerema said he expects cases like these to become more common.

In fact, sextortion is one of the fastest growing crimes in the western world. And if courts keep handling the perverts with kid gloves like this, you can be certain it will continue to grow. You needed to make an example out of this creep, Your Honour, but you failed! 

Just one day after the report chronicling the dreadful failures in the Rehtaeh Parsons nightmare, the Nova Scotia justice system has determined to continue to leave vulnerable, young, teenage girls at the mercy of older, predators. Nice going!

Is there any hope, whatsoever, for the Nova Scotia justice system?

"It's a troubling case on many levels. It's a case that certainly highlights, I think, an area of our society that will present increasing challenges, not just for courts, law enforcement, parents and teenagers themselves coming to grips with the realities of social media and … some of the harm that can occur.

The man's defence lawyer, Peter Planetta, had sought the two-year conditional discharge, meaning he would have no record if he did not violate the conditions.

Girl extorted to send nude pictures

The court heard that the youth was 16 when he interacted with two girls using two separate fake Facebook accounts between November 2012 and November 2013.

Court heard that after extended conversations over a number of months, the teen told the girls that one of the fake Facebook users had committed suicide.

This prompted the two girls to attempt suicide, court was told.

The tormenting continued, after one of the girls became suspicious that the accounts were fake.

She demanded to know the real identity of the person behind them. He told her that he would reveal his identity if she sent him naked photographs of herself.

She sent him two images of her bare torso — one in which she was wearing a bra, and one with no bra. He then threatened to publish the images unless she sent him more nude pictures. He posted the photo on her own Facebook page, where her 2,000 friends could see it. That led to the distribution charge.

"Eh girl can I get a flash lol or this pic goes out lol," said one his messages, read in court. "U got 5 minutes."

In April, the teen was convicted of the criminal offences of extortion, possession of child pornography and possession of child pornography for the purposes of distribution.

Review of Rehtaeh Parsons Debacle Slams Police and Prosecutors Gently, Too Gently

Rehtaeh Parsons bullying case review finds system 'failed'

Immediately above is CBC's headline for this article. It's unfortunate in that the case was far more than just bullying.

Ex-Ontario deputy attorney general tasked with looking at Halifax police, 

public prosecution's actions

CBC News

The independent review into how Nova Scotia police and prosecutors handled the Rehtaeh Parsons case has found that both the investigator and the Crown made errors.

Murray Segal, Ontario's former deputy attorney general, was tasked with examining how Halifax Regional Police and the province's Public Prosecution Service handled the case.

The report, which makes 17 recommendations, says the investigation into allegations of sexual assault and an inappropriate photo took too long and it highlights a series of missteps, starting with Parsons' first unrecorded interview with police.

Read Murray Segal's full report and recommendations here

Parsons' family said she was sexually assaulted by four boys at a November 2011 party.

She died after attempting suicide in 2013.

"What took place on November 12, 2011, in the Eastern Passage bedroom was wrong on many levels," Segal said in his report.

However, when examining the case, Segal said "the decision not to lay any sexual assault charges was within the realm of reasonable decisions given all the circumstances." 

Excuse me, Mr Segal, but we don't have and have never had all the circumstances. The boys involved were never questioned by the police with regard to the rape of Rehtaeh. The questioning of Rehtaeh was so badly bungled that who knows what was missed or lost?

Police said they looked into the allegations of sexual assault, but initially concluded there weren't enough grounds to lay charges after consulting with the prosecution service.

What does that mean, 'looked into'? Without questioning the boys they couldn't have looked very deeply.

Unrecorded interview

Segal's reports says the first interview didn't follow proper protocol and the special investigator from the sexual assault unit "unnecessarily interviewed her at length."

The family of Nova Scotia teen Rehtaeh Parsons says she ended her own life following months of bullying after she was allegedly sexually assaulted by four boys and a photo of the incident was distributed.

The report says because Parsons was a young person, there should have been a social worker present, and not Parsons's mother. She should have been interviewed separately. 

Because of this, the report says Parsons had to be re-interviewed.

It said this error caused "an avoidable negative impact" on Parsons and the second statement wasn't taken under "conditions conductive to optimal reliability."

The report found the sexual assault investigation unit's investigation should have wrapped up sooner, and while it included errors, was "proper and thorough." 

Did I mention, the boys were not questioned? How can the investigation be considered 'proper and thorough'?

"It took too long for a kid and a family in crisis," Segal said while presenting his report in Halifax Thursday afternoon.

Interviews 'thwarted' 

A digital photo of the alleged assault began to circulate. Her family said Parsons was mocked by classmates and endured relentless harassment and humiliation. 

Segal found an investigator tried to interview as many students as possible and was "apparently thwarted by school authorities."

How can school officials thwart a police investigation? Are you serious?

The report says the investigator intended to arrest two of the boys, interview them and charge them with child pornography related offences, but went to the Crown for advice first. 

The report says after reviewing the file extensively, the Crown determined "there was no realistic prospect that sexual assault charges would result in convictions."

"While I find that more attention could have been given to the allegations surrounding the events that occurred at the window, the Crown's position, in view of the many evidentiary challenges in this case, was not unreasonable," Segal wrote.

Wouldn't it have been 'reasonable' to interview the boys before making the decision not to prosecute? And how can rape not have occurred when the girl was so drunk she was leaning out the window throwing  up while the boys were helping themselves to her body, and taking photos to prove it? Did Rehtaeh give assent to have sex between vomits? It is simply astonishing that the Crown didn't think they had a winable case. It's very disappointing that Segal arrived at the conclusion that the prosecutors decision was not unreasonable; it was cowardly, at best, and suspicious, at worst.

Crown error

He said another Crown may have chosen to prosecute, but "it no doubt presented a unique challenge for the prosecution."

He also said that because of this, the police investigators decision not to lay sexual assault charges "was understandable." 

Understandable, but not very admirable.

A second Crown, a junior counsel in consultation with someone more senior, also weighed in, Segal said.

That person determined it wasn't possible to tell if the people pictured in the photo were underage, and as a result child pornography offences couldn't be prosecuted, he found.

But Segal said this advice was incorrect. 

"It reflected a misunderstanding of the law as it relates to child pornography," he said.

Not only was it misunderstanding the law, but it was spectacularly stupid! The two people in the photo were easily identified, how was it possible the Crown couldn't figure out their age? It makes absolutely no sense?

Failure to curb cyberbullying

The report also found the investigation failed to address the cyberbullying Parsons experienced.

"Throughout the initial investigation, the police were not successful in promptly intervening to stop the significant harm to Rehtaeh caused by the circulation of the photograph," Segal said.

'Not successful' would imply some effort was involved - was there, in fact, some effort by the police to stop the cyberbullying? If there was, what was it?

"The rapid, ongoing damage caused by the distribution of the photo was not alleviated in any way by the authorities' intervention."

Segal said police could have obtained a search warrant to seize the boys' phones who they believed had the photograph.

He said that would have sent a message to students that police were taking the matter seriously. He also found the police could have put more pressure on the school to co-operate.

Year-long investigation

Segal concludes by saying the investigation should have wrapped up sooner and that the investigator's workload played a factor.

"A year-long investigation was simply unacceptable," he said.

​The provincial government ordered the review in August 2013, but it was delayed until legal proceedings involving two men charged in the Parsons case concluded.

The child pornography charges were laid only after Parsons died. And only after a huge outcry that involved Anonymous and even the Prime Minister.

Glen Canning

Glen Canning said he believes Anonymous's threats to publicly identify boys allegedly involved in the cyberbullying that predated his daughter Rehtaeh Parsons's death prompted Halifax police to reopen their investigation and eventually lay charges.


None of this would have happened if Anonymous hadn't stepped in, said Canning. "I believe that absolutely. I have no question about that at all."

Police charged two men just four days before Segal was appointed to lead the review:

- A 20-year-old man pleaded guilty last November to distributing a sexually graphic image of Parsons, who was 15 years old at the time of the offence. He was sentenced to probation. 
- Another 20-year-old man pleaded guilty to making child pornography by taking a photo of the accused having sex with Parsons.

Both men were youths at the time of the offence and were charged under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Death Threats

One of two people who were convicted of child pornography charges over a photo of Rehtaeh was charged with uttering death threats and criminal harassment in April 2014.

The charges were laid after Glen Canning, Rehtaeh's father, said someone posted a malicious message on his YouTube channel in 2013, the year his daughter killed herself. Police said other threats were made on WordPress, an online publishing platform.


Eric Taylor, the Crown attorney in the case, said the forensic results from man's computer don't support the threat charges. "There was some suspicion but obviously not enough for a conviction," he said outside the courtroom. As a result, the charges have been stayed and the man entered a peace bond for one year to stay away from Canning and his family.

Taylor says while investigators can track down an IP address associated with an online comment, it's hard to determine who was at the keyboard. 

OMG, nothing has changed at the NS Crown prosecutors office!

The fact that one of the boys and/or his father made threats against Rehtaeh and her parents failed to result in any charges. So, we have a gang-rape, the making of child pornography, the distribution of child pornography, relentless bullying, and death threats, and no-one spent a minute in jail! Nova Scotia justice needs a serious overhaul because it looks like a big joke!