Peter Moorhouse changes plea to guilty for child porn charges

Former Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Atlantic Canada president Peter Moorhouse has pleaded guilty to child pornography charges.

Moorhouse, 48, had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges but changed his plea to guilty during an appearance in Shubenacadie provincial court Monday.

Public Prosecution Service spokesperson Melissa Noonan said Moorhouse has pleaded guilty to making, printing, publishing or possessing child pornography.

He also pleaded guilty to making arrangements with a person to commit an offence with respect to a person under the age of 16 years.

The agreed statement of facts in the case is scheduled to be filed at Moorhouse’s next court appearance on August 25, Noonan said.

Moorhouse was charged in February 2021 following the search of a 35-year-old man’s home in Enfield, which was conducted after police received a complaint.

The man, Carlos Ayapal Gonzalez Moraga, was charged with sexual interference and making child pornography.

As a result of the investigation into Moraga, the RCMP then searched a home in Enfield and a business in Halifax and arrested Moorhouse.

In the days that followed his arrest, the BBB announced its board had unanimously voted to terminate Moorhouse’s employment with cause.

Meanwhile, Moraga is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on Aug. 11 and his trial is scheduled for April 24 to 28, 2023, said Noonan.

He is also scheduled to appear for arraignment in Truro Provincial Court on July 25 for one count each of failing to comply with recognizance or undertaking, and failing to comply with an order.

The alleged offences took place between May 6, 2021 and June 2, 2022.