By Oliver Moore
Globe and Mail
October 16, 2009
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/bishop-laheys-computer-had-hundreds-of-
child-porn-images-police-allege/article1327157/
A huge folder on Raymond Lahey's personal computer contained sexually charged images, including one of a boy who appears as young as nine touching himself while wearing nothing but rosary beads, police say.
New allegations have emerged in court documents in the case of the former Bishop of Antigonish, who stepped down last month and faces child pornography charges.
Police applications seeking search warrants for the cleric's homes and office were released Friday. The documents said that Bishop Lahey said he did not know much about computers but admitted using file-sharing software and engaging in sex-related online discussions, although only with people he believed were adults.
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| Details of the case against the disgraced Nova Scotia bishop outlined in newly released court documents |
The 69-year-old, who was lauded earlier this year for helping the Roman Catholic church deal with past abuses, said he had "never done anything that would be abusive with a child," according to the documents. Police say in the applications that he acknowledged being attracted to adult males, but denied being attracted to minors.
The search warrants were granted earlier this week, and resulted in more computers and electronic equipment being seized. Investigators have not said what was found on those items, but the applications offer greater detail about what Ottawa police said was on the laptop the bishop was carrying when he flew last month from London to Ottawa.
Bishop Lahey, who retains the title although he has relinquished his diocesan duties, was flagged for secondary inspection on arrival. The documents say that, according to an investigator who looked at his computer at the airport, images that could be criminal were among the 964 files in a folder named "downloads." There were also 33 videos in a folder marked "real player downloads."
The court documents do not specify the number of images and videos that are suspected of depicting minors.
"Many ... showed young males engaged in sexual act [sic] such as masturbation (focus on the genitals), oral and anal sex," the search warrant applications say, citing a report from Detective Constable Jacinthe Dion of the Ottawa Police Service.
"Most of the images and videos of concern viewed involved males who appeared to be teenage boys, who could possibly be 18 years old, even though some has [sic] very young facial features and were very young looking."
Police say in the documents that the subjects of some images appeared clearly underage. The court documents describe photos of boys who appear to range in age from eight to 14. Some were described as depicting sexual contact between young boys. One image was described as showing a naked boy with an erection, apparently underage, who had welts on his torso and looked "sad."
There was no indication in the documents of where any of these images were produced. Some of the boys were described as having dark complexions, others were blond.
Police say in the documents that they became aware that Bishop Lahey had access to several computers other than the laptop he was carrying while travelling. One of the computers, at his residence in Antigonish, was accessible only to him.
Police raided the residence earlier this week, along with Bishop Lahey's office in Antigonish and an apartment he used in Sydney. Items seized included cell phones, cameras, video cassettes, DVDs and several computers.
Bishop Lahey, who has not spoken publicly about the charges against him, is next due in court on Nov. 4.
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