EDMONTON – An Edmonton man who pleaded guilty to four sexual interference and child pornography charges connected to his own daughter appeared in court Wednesday.
In January, the man – who cannot be identified in order to protect the victim – pleaded guilty to sexual interference, and the distribution, possession, and making of child pornography.
During the father’s sentencing hearing Wednesday, the Crown Prosecutor said there are few cases that compare to this one.
Wednesday, court heard about 54 images and a DVD with two separate videos on it that document sexual abuse.
Court heard that the man lived in a house with his brother and mother. The victim’s mother left when the child was less than two months old.
The Agreed Statement of Facts details that the uncle was interested in child pornography, and that the victim’s father allegedly walked in on his brother assaulting the victim when she was a few months old and didn’t take action to stop it.
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The victim’s uncle is also charged in this investigation. Separate court proceedings will examine the charges laid against him.
The young victim was rescued in Edmonton May 25, 2012.
ALERT’s Northern Alberta Internet Child Exploitation unit (ICE), an integrated team made up of Edmonton Police Service and RCMP members, started an investigation on May 23 after receiving information about pornographic material involving a child that appeared to have originated from Canada.
In working with several partners, ICE North confirmed the young victim’s identity within 48 hours. The first accused, the young victim’s uncle, was arrested on May 26 and was charged with sexual assault and several child pornography offences.
On June 7, ICE North arrested a second man, the young victim’s father, for a number of offences related to the investigation.
Wednesday, court heard how officials were able to locate and identify the victim. They came across a video or image of the victim while investigating another child pornography case.
They were able to identify the victim after seeing the logo of a local health authority on a brochure in one of the images and contacting health officials about any possible patients.
The Crown noted that, after his arrest, the father told interviewers he was abused as a child and nobody cared, so he didn’t know why anyone should care about his daughter.
The Crown is asking for a jail sentence of between 11 and 12 years.
The Prosecution argues a sentence of seven to nine years is appropriate.
The judge reserved her decision until July 2.
With files from Fletcher Kent
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