St. John’s court hears disturbing details in sex assault, child pornography case

The details of the allegations were so horrific, even the judge needed a tissue to dab her eyes.

Judge Lois Skanes wasn’t the only one in the courtroom to become teary-eyed as evidence was presented in the case of a 22-year-old man arrested last weekend on charges related to the sexual assault of a child, as well as making and possessing child pornography.

He faces charges of sexual assault, sexual interference, sexual exploitation, making child pornography, unlawfully observing or making a visual recording where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, and possessing child pornography. There is a publication ban on the details of the case, for now.

The man — whose identity is also covered under a publication ban, in order to protect the identity of the young victim — appeared in provincial court in St. John’s Thursday for a bail hearing. He sat quietly and listened as the evidence was presented.

His bail hearing will continue Friday morning.

Members of the RNC/RCMP Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit’s Internet Child Exploitation team, with help from RCMP officers in Gander, arrested the man Saturday in connection with an investigation that had been ongoing since September. That investigation is still underway, with help from the RNC’S Child Abuse Sexual Assault Unit.