A local man convicted of child luring for the third time was handed a six-year sentence in a hearing via teleconference Friday.
Kyle McLaughlan, 57, was given credit for waiting in jail for his day in court during the pandemic, leaving him with a 19-month sentence.
“A significant sentence is necessary,” said Justice Stacey Nichols.
McLaughlan had earlier pleaded guilty to child luring and failing to comply with previous orders.
Nichols said she filed her reasons for judgement with the court and didn’t read out its details during the afternoon hearing to save time. Although she said she did agree with the Crown attorney.
Bracebridge Crown attorney Lynsday Jeanes earlier submitted that McLaughlan deserved a significant sentence given his repeated behaviour.
Had the undercover operation targeting him not come to an abrupt end, prosecutors may well have asked the court to consider a dangerous offender application.
An OPP officer with the child exploitation unit pretended to be a 15-year-old girl during an online chat with McLaughlan, who said he was a photographer. The tenor of the conversation indicated that he was in the grooming stage of a conversation so he could satisfy his sexual needs, the prosecutor contended.
But mid-way through, McLaughlan was approached by a reporter and his online presence vanished. He was subject to a previous order to not use a computer or the internet.
Investigators had intended to follow the conversation to what they believed would be a natural conclusion - an in-person meeting.
Court heard earlier that McLaughlan had created a website advertising modelling photo services and tried encouraging the girl to participate in a photo shoot with him. He suggested she could pose in different ways, including being topless, semi-naked and nude.
The Crown said that mirrored what he did which led up to his previous convictions.
Court heard earlier that McLaughlan has long suffered from a series of health issues and requires dialysis. He apologized to the court said that he has a job lined up for when he is released and he intends to seek help.
