A client of criminal law lawyer Laurence Ledoux was accused of having made material consisting of child pornography (section 163.1(2) of the Criminal Code). He was accused of creating this type of illegal material after what he wrote in an adult chat room. The client acknowledged that his written comments may have been inappropriate, but he wanted to avoid the one-year minimum prison sentence he was facing.
After starting therapy to understand the motivation underlying his writing and thoughts, the client entered a guilty plea, since he admitted to having exposed for public view written material that was considered obscene (section 163(2) of the Criminal Code). Ms. Ledoux convinced the crown prosecutor to thereby present a joint submission for the client to serve his sentence in the community (house arrest) for several months. With the judge agreeing to the suggestion, the client avoided facing any prison gates. This solution thus ensured he would keep his job and continue his therapy, while complying with his conditions, including a strict curfew.
Ms. Ledoux’s clients can’t always avoid going to jail. See notice.
