Campbell River Man Sentenced For Possessing Child Pornography

A Campbell River man has been sentenced to 13 months in jail after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography.

66 year old Leslie Harold Hamilton was also given several years of probation and must be registered as a sex offender.

The BC Integrated Child Exploitation Unit informed the Campbell River RCMP Major Crime Unit in May of 2021 that child pornography was detected online by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Through investigation, police were able to pinpoint the child pornography as having come from a Campbell River residence. Police executed a search warrant of the residence in October 2021 and seized several digital devices, finding thousands of images and videos.

“People need to understand that viewing and possessing child pornography is not a victimless crime,” said Inspector, Jeff Preston.

“In fact, it creates a market and demand for the further exploitation and abuse of children.”

Police say similar cases are on the rise in the community.

From 2021 to 2022, Campbell River RCMP saw a 25% increase in reports involving Child Pornography, and 2023 is on pace to continue that pattern.