Lahey laptop had many porn files: document
Last Updated: Friday, October 16, 2009 | 9:43 PM AT
CBC News
RCMP searched this residence in Sydney, N.S., on Wednesday. (CBC)A search warrant document says Ottawa police found a folder on Bishop Raymond Lahey's laptop computer containing 964 files and 33 videos, with many showing what police believe are young males involved in sexual acts.
Nova Scotia RCMP used the information to apply for a search warrant for Lahey's former residence in Sydney. That warrant was executed on Wednesday and one computer was seized.
A similar document was used to apply for two other search warrants for Lahey's former home and office in Antigonish. Those warrants were executed on Tuesday and in addition to two computers, police seized:
- One video camera.
- Two cell phones.
- Two MP3 players.
- 11 CDs/DVDs.
- One file folder containing 87 pages of computer printouts pertaining to domain name registrations.
Lahey is facing charges of importing and possessing child pornography. He is staying at a priest's residence run by the archdiocese of Ottawa until his next court date on Nov. 4.
In addition to descriptions of sexually explicit images, the document contains a detailed account of what Lahey told investigators with the Canada Border Services Agency when he was detained at the Ottawa International Airport on Sept. 15. He was charged 10 days later.
According to the document, Lahey told investigators he used MSN messenger to chat with other people and that the conversations were "often sexual in nature." He said he believed the people he chatted with were adults.
The search warrant document also said Lahey told officers he would never have any sexual interest in a person under the age of 18 and had "no time" for child exploitation or child pornography.
Lahey said he does not know much about computers, but used them to write emails and write articles related to his work, according to investigators.
