Sentencing set on voyeurism and porn charges
A 21-year-old Sydney man is to be sentenced Tuesday on voyeurism and possession of child pornography charges.
Nicholas Hennick-Bray, 21, of French Street, pleaded guilty to two voyeurism charges and single counts of possession of child porn and breaching a court order.
Both Crown and defence have recommended a joint sentence of six months in custody, 18 months probation, a 10-year registration as a sexual offender along with an order he submit a DNA sample to the national registry.
In presenting the facts of the case, regional Crown Attorney Kathryn Pentz told the court that police seized electronic devices from Hennick-Bray including a computer and phone.
On the phone were pictures showing what females were wearing under their skirts.
Also, said Pentz, there was video showing a female in a bathroom preparing to take a shower and then dressing after the shower. Pentz said investigators were unable to identify the individual or just where or when the video was taken.
She told the court Hennick-Bray had installed a hidden camera app on his phone which allows the device to film while still indicating the phone was turned off.
Police also seized nearly 10 hours of videos deemed pornographic showing pre-pubescent children engaging in a range of sex acts, including oral sex and penetration, involving adults, other children and alone.
An additional 500 animated images were also discovered and again showing a range of sexual activity between children and adults including bondage.
The animated images were described as “hentai” which is akin to the Japanese genres of manga and anime but features overtly sexualized characters and sexually explicit images.
Accused charged with pornography offence
A North Sydney man is to appear in provincial court in March after being charged with possession of child pornography.
John Michael Day, 44, faces a single count after Cape Breton Regional Police searched a North Sydney residence in October seizing computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices. Day has been released on a police undertaking with conditions that include no contact with persons under age 16 and to stay away from places where such individuals are likely to gather like pools, parks and school grounds.
He is now scheduled to enter pleas March 1.
Anyone with information about suspected offences of child pornography or child internet luring should contact local police at 902-563-5151 or use Canada’s national tip line for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children at www.cybertip.ca.
Sydney man facing drug and weapon charges
A Sydney man is scheduled to appear in provincial court in March after being charged with drug and weapon offences.
Chad Everett French, 43, of Franklin Street is charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking in cocaine, possession of property obtained by crime (money), careless storage of firearms and ammunition, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon.
French was released by police on an undertaking and is now scheduled to appear in court March 8.
Accused released on conditions
A Sydney man had a full day in court in entering pleas, being assigned a sentencing date, assigned a further plea date and a trial date.
Mark Cory Markotjohn, 39, of Cottagedale Crescent has entered guilty pleas on charges of assault and dangerous driving and is now to be sentenced March 24.
He is also to enter pleas on that date on six counts of breaching court orders and a single count of uttering a threat.
On June 14, the accused is to stand trial on two counts of uttering threats and single counts of mischief, dangerous driving and breaching a court order.
Markotjohn has now been released on conditions that include having no contact with five people and he stay away from a Scotchtown residence.
Conditional sentence imposed
A New Waterford man has been sentenced on a host of charges and released on others pending trial.
Tayne William Halfkenny, 32, of Marine Drive was sentenced on five counts of breaching court orders and single counts of mischief, uttering threats and refusing a breathalyzer demand.
He is to complete a 10-month conditional sentence which allows him to serve his time in the community rather than going to jail.
Among the conditions of his sentence, Halfkenny is to refrain from alcohol and drugs not prescribed to him and is to perform 150 hours of community service. He is also to participate in programming for substance abuse and anger management. He is to have no contact with two individuals and is to remain under house arrest with exceptions for work, education, legal appointments, medical emergency and counselling along with a four-hour period once a week to conduct personal business.
He is also prohibited from sitting in the front seat of any vehicle.
He is also to complete a 12-month period of probation and banned from driving for one year and fined $2,000.
He is to appear back in provincial court Jan. 28 for a status report on two counts of breaching court orders, two counts of mischief and single counts of break and enter, taking a vehicle without consent and assault.
Sentencing set on child luring
A Reserve Mines man is now to be sentenced next month after pleading guilty to a single count of child luring.
Dylan Matthew Strong, 21, committed the offence in January 2018 in New Waterford.
He was charged after images of a 13-year-old girl were found on his phone. Strong admitted to communicating with the girl for the purposes of sex.
A sentencing recommendation now before the court includes a suspended sentence with two years probation and a prohibition on opening any new online accounts along with not accessing Internet sites featuring games or videos that depict nudity or sex.
Sentencing is now set for Feb. 8.
