Image Credit: PEXELS

A former Vernon Judo coach who doctored himself into child pornography photographs has been sentenced to a year in prison.

At the Vernon courthouse yesterday, Dec. 5, Judge Dennis Morgan sentenced Bryan McLachlan to 12 months jail time for the distribution of child pornography and eight months for possession, followed by two years of probation. The sentences will run concurrently meaning McLachlan will spend one year behind bars.

McLachlan was charged with possessing, accessing and distributing child pornography in December 2017, after the B.C. Integrated Child Exploitation Unit reported to the RCMP that seven different images had been uploaded from a computer registered at McLachlan's address. A search of McLachlan's home computer and electronic devices found 55 images of child pornography.

In June 2019, McLachlan pled guilty to one charge of possession and one charge of importing or distributing child pornography.

Defence lawyer Nickolas Jacob argued McLachlan should receive a 90-day jail sentence, served on weekends so he could continue to work and support his wife and three children. Jacob pointed to his client's lack of a criminal record, and that he was the sole breadwinner in the family, along a psychiatrist's report had classified McLachlan as low risk to offend again.

McLachlan also had character references from several people including his employer and his wife.

During an earlier appearance, the court heard how the 49-year-old was married with three children, had a university degree, and had worked for the same employer for eight years.

Crown counsel argued for 12 to 18 months of jail time, followed by three years probation along with other restrictions.

The court heard how McLachlin had "photoshopped" himself into images of child pornography using pictures of two girls he had previously coached at the Vernon Judo Club.

Jacob told the court McLachlin had no memory of his behaviour due to a severe drinking problem that had been off and on for several years and had escalated when his daughter became very ill.

However, Judge Morgan pointed out that while McLachlin may have created the doctored images during the period his daughter was sick and he was drinking heavily, he still kept the images on his computer once he was sober again.

Morgan said uploading images "bread a demand for images" which in turn led to the abuse of children. The judge continued to say the children depicted in pornographic images are abused each time the images are viewed.

Ultimately Judge Morgan sentenced McLachlin to a year behind bars.

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