Disgraced Ex-Bishop in Child Porn Case Freed on Probation

By Douglas Stanglin
USA Today
January 4, 2012

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/01/disgraced-ex-bishop-in-child-porn-case-freed-on-probation/1?csp=34news

By Sean Kilpatrick, The Canadian Press, via AP

A disgraced Canadian Roman Catholic bishop arrested at Ottawa airport in possession of an extensive child porn collection has been sentenced to time served in jail, plus two years probation, and must register as a sex offender, the Canadian Press reports. The official sentence was for 15 months.

A judge in Ontario also ruled that Raymond Lahey, 71, who has been in jail for eight months, will also be required to allow his personal and office computers to be searched.

Lahey voluntarily went to jail after pleading guilty last year to one count of importing child pornography.

He was arrested at Ottawa airport in 2009 with child porn on his laptop and a handheld device.

Lahey, who was formerly head of Diocese of Antigonish in Nova Scotia, has apologized to the church and to victims of child porn, the CP reports.

The CBC reports that the case involved 588 photos and 63 videos, including some in which adolescent boys engaged in sex acts while wearing a crucifix and rosary beads.