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	Newfoundland Anglican Priest Facing Charges of Child Porn By Charles Lewis National Post December 10, 2009 http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=2323093 CANADA -- A highly respected Anglican priest in Newfoundland has been charged with possession and distribution of child pornography that included online images and videos of babies, police said yesterday. Reverend Robin Barrett, 52, of the parish of New Hope near St. John's, was arrested on Tuesday in Newfoundland. He is in custody and is expected to have a bail hearing today. Detective Paul Krawczyk of the Toronto police child exploitation unit said his group opened an investigation last month. "This was an undercover investigation. We came upon a person on the Internet that we became concerned about because of what was being said and what was being shared," said Det. Krawczyk. "We made contact with this person, in an undercover capacity, and during that time received child pornography from this person. "We're alleging the images and videos he passed were extremely young, as young as babies." Det. Krawczyk said the child exploitation section constantly monitors the Internet for these kind of images. "A lot of our arrests these days are from us being proactive online," he said. "They don't all end up in our own backyard. The reality of the Internet is you end up in other places." He said the information was then passed on to the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, which made the arrest yesterday. Newfoundland police recently created a child exploitation unit to specifically deal with trafficking of child pornography. Both police forces are now trying to figure out where the images were made and by whom. None of the charges have been proven in court. "News of the arrest brought shock, surprise, disappointment. All of those emotions, obviously," said Elizabeth Barnes, executive officer of the Diocese of Eastern Newfound and Labrador. "I've worked with him directly. I always found him a genuine, caring individual and his call to social causes is exemplary of the kind of man he is." Rev. Barrett, who is now suspended with pay from his duties, has been involved with ecumenical groups and groups pushing for social justice in the province. Ms. Barnes said that he is well known for his compassion for those in the province who have been marginalized. In November 2003, Rev. Barrett, who was then married with three children, publicly announced that he was gay. "At the time we had to wrestle with that," Ms. Barnes said. "The Anglican Communion has been wrestling with the issue of homosexuality so it was a big issue then. But I believe a lot of our people have made peace with it and accepted him and worked with him on his merits as a priest and a man and his sexuality became no more of an issue than yours or mine." She added: "This is really not a gay issue. Child porn is not connected with homosexuality, but people will bring it up." In September, Raymond Lahey, 69, the Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Antigonish, was charged by Ottawa police with possession and importation of child pornography after his computer was searched at the Ottawa airport. And this week a British Columbia pastor, Larry Robert Collins, 45, was sentenced to 15 months in jail after he admitted making an explicit video that simulated the rape of a young teenager. Det. Krawczyk said in his experience many people who are caught have public positions of responsibility and yet they still believe their activities are invisible. "You and I find it hard to believe, but we don't have an [sexual] interest in kids. But I don't think it's an addiction. You take this away and they don't have the signs of withdrawal that you would have with a typical addiction. The reality is these people are so interested in this, and want to obtain material, they're willing to take the chance they do. And that is really telling. They have a lot to lose and they're still doing it." The National Post is now on Facebook. Join our fan community today.
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