Nova Scotia teens charged in naked photo ring case handed conditional discharges

Six young Nova Scotia men who admitted to exchanging intimate images of at least 20 girls without their consent have been handed conditional discharges.

Their conditions include no contact with the victims for nine months, the completion of counselling and 50 hours of community service within six months.

Provincial court Judge Paul Scovil acknowledged that some of the conditions may have already been met by the young men.

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Earlier in the day, Crown prosecutor Peter Dostal told the sentencing hearing the victims were vulnerable and suffered psychological harm.

Dostal asked for conditional discharges for the accused, rather than probation, which was previously indicated in a brief to the judge.

The Crown lawyer said conditional discharges would require further rehabilitation and restrictions on the use of the internet, including social media.

Defence lawyers had asked for absolute discharges.

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The boys, who are all from the Bridgewater area, admitted to forming a private Facebook group to exchange photos of the girls, who ranged in age from 13 to 17.

All were under 18 when the offences were committed, which means their identities are protected from publication under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The case is one of Canada’s largest involving a relatively untested law introduced in 2015 to combat the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.