West Shore RCMP say child pornography investigations on the rise
Mounties say child pornography investigations are on the rise in the western communities of Greater Victoria.
The West Shore RCMP conducted 39 child pornography investigations in 2022, doubling the 19 cases investigated in 2021.
The detachment highlighted the work of its serious crimes unit in a news release Monday, noting six recent convictions for possession of child pornography, child luring and sexual assault.
A 33-year-old man was convicted last month of possession of child pornography and sentenced to a seven-month conditional sentence and 18 months of probation, according to the Mounties, who said the investigation took approximately eight months to complete.
In January, a year-long investigation culminated in an 18-year prison sentence for another man who was convicted of sexual assault, invitation to sexual touching and production of child pornography.
"Though the number of these investigations appears to be increasing year over year, the unit takes some comfort in these recent convictions," Sgt. Thana Hodge of the West Shore RCMP serious crime unit said.
The Langford-based detachment says child pornography investigations often take several months or years to complete due to their complexity.
Such cases are resource-intensive, relying heavily on search warrants, production orders, surveillance and technical data analysis, the department said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.