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A former police and fire dispatcher
pleaded guilty in provincial court in Victoria yesterday
to possession of child pornography and was handed a
community sentence. Mark Oscar Coderre, 41, who once
worked as a 911 dispatcher for Victoria police and fire
departments and sometimes the Saanich police, was sentenced
to 18 months to be served in the community with a curfew.
He was also placed on probation for an additional three
years.
Crown and defence agreed on the 18-month
community sentence, but Judge Brian MacKenzie said he
was troubled by the recommendation. Child pornography
is generally recognized as a serious offence requiring
real jail time. "This material is despicable,"
said MacKenzie. "Significant jail time would generally
be the disposition." Despite the reservations MacKenzie
agreed to the 18-month recommendation, but increased
the probation period to three years from the two years
the Crown and defence recommended.
Officers from Victoria, Saanich and
members of the integrated child exploitation unit (comprised
of RCMP and municipal department members) arrested Coderre
in May 2006 after a Crime Stoppers tip. Officers seized
a computer, CDs and video discs. Investigators discovered
a number of images of child pornography that Crown prosecutor
Georgia Peters described as "various degrees of
depravity." Peters said they contained sexual images
involving children having sex with other children and
adults. Of some concern, however, was computer evidence
that Coderre passed himself off as "a 911 guy,"
and had started to stray into websites and chat rooms
designed for young people.
But Peters also said Coderre, in interviews
with police and psychologists, made it plain he never
"crossed the line" and sought physical contact
with young people. Peters agreed with forensic psychologists
who said Coderre was a low to moderate risk to the community.
Defence counsel Bradley Hickford said
Coderre endured abuse himself as a child and later struggled
to come to terms with his own sexuality. He is now openly
gay.
Hickford also said Coderre is ashamed
over the dishonour he feels he brought to the various
police and fire departments where he once took great
pride in working. Trained as an ambulance attendant,
he now works in Fort St. John as a worksite safety officer.
Since his arrest, Coderre has sought counselling and
has written letters of apology to the police and fire
departments. "He has done everything he can within
his power, not because of any gun held to his head,
but under his own power he has done what he can to make
it right," said Hickford.
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