Close X
Saturday, September 21, 2024
ADVT 
National

Young Man Convicted In Rehtaeh Parsons Cyberbullying Case Facing New, Unrelated Charges

The Canadian Press, 28 Jan, 2016 01:12 PM
    HALIFAX —  One of two young men who pleaded guilty to child pornography charges in the high-profile Rehtaeh Parsons case is now facing a series of charges related to an alleged robbery.
     
    The man, who is now 21, can't be named because he was a minor when he posed for an explicit photo showing him having sex with the 15-year-old, and then distributed the picture to some classmates.
     
    Parsons was 17 when she taken off life-support in April 2013 after attempting suicide.
     
    Her case attracted national attention when her family alleged she had been sexually assaulted by the boy in November 2011 and bullied after the photo was passed around her school.
     
    The young man was later sentenced to a year's probation for distributing child pornography. This week he appeared in court to face unrelated theft and firearms charges after an alleged robbery.
     
    Parsons' case and a number of other high-profile cyberbullying cases sparked a national debate about online harassment, which prompted changes to provincial law and the Criminal Code.
     
    At the time of Parsons' death, police said they had looked into the allegations of sexual assault and an inappropriate photo, but concluded there wasn't grounds to lay charges.
     
    That led Parsons' parents to organize demonstrations that alleged police and prosecutors weren't doing their jobs. They also said the cyberbullying had made her life miserable and pushed her to suicide.
     
    A week after Parsons died, police reopened their investigation after receiving what they said was new information.
     
    That same month, Prime Minister Stephen Harper addressed the issue in the House of Commons and Nova Scotia introduced the country's first anti-cyberbullying law, which was followed by changes to the Criminal Code that made it an offence to distribute intimate images of someone without their consent.
     
    In August 2013, child pornography charges were laid against two young men, both 18 at the time.
     
    The second young man implicated in the case later pleaded guilty to making child pornography and was handed a conditional discharge in November 2014.
     
    Parsons' identity was initially protected by a statutory publication ban but her parents pushed to have her name released, saying they wanted her story and her name to be shared widely.
     
    In December 2014, Nova Scotia's attorney general issued a directive saying breaches of the ban would not be prosecuted unless her name was used in a derogatory way.
     
    Last October, a review into how Nova Scotia police and prosecutors handled the case found the investigation took too long and mistakes were made, but it was reasonable for the Crown to conclude that sexual assault charges should not be laid.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Langley's Injured Man Not Victim Of Gunshot, But Police Mystified By Events

    Langley's Injured Man Not Victim Of Gunshot, But Police Mystified By Events
    A man inside claimed he had been shot in the shoulder, he was taken to hospital and doctors quickly reported his injury did not appear to be from a gun

    Langley's Injured Man Not Victim Of Gunshot, But Police Mystified By Events

    Vancouver Marks First Pedestrian Death In One Of Two Fatal B.C. Accidents

    Vancouver Marks First Pedestrian Death In One Of Two Fatal B.C. Accidents
    Vancouver Police say weather conditions were foul at about 10:30 Thursday night when the man was hit while crossing a major Vancouver street in mid-block.

    Vancouver Marks First Pedestrian Death In One Of Two Fatal B.C. Accidents

    City of Surrey hosts Community Forum on Refugees

    City of Surrey hosts Community Forum on Refugees
      “The City of Surrey is acutely aware of the importance of welcoming and including new immigrant and refugees as they start a new life in Canada,” says Mayor Linda Hepner. “I know the generosity and goodwill the new refugees will encounter in Surrey will go a long way in helping them achieve success.”

    City of Surrey hosts Community Forum on Refugees

    7 Hospitalized In 5 Provinces Affected By Listeria Outbreak; 1 Person Has Died

    7 Hospitalized In 5 Provinces Affected By Listeria Outbreak; 1 Person Has Died
    The agency says there were three cases in Ontario and one each in Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

    7 Hospitalized In 5 Provinces Affected By Listeria Outbreak; 1 Person Has Died

    Infrastructure Money To Flow Once Budget Is Passed: Minister Amarjeet Sohi

    Infrastructure Money To Flow Once Budget Is Passed: Minister Amarjeet Sohi
    After a speech to the Toronto Region Board of Trade on Thursday, Amarjeet Sohi said his goal is to ensure investments can be made in the next construction season.

    Infrastructure Money To Flow Once Budget Is Passed: Minister Amarjeet Sohi

    Yves Richard, Husband Of Burkina Faso Victim Says He Hung Up On Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

    Yves Richard, Husband Of Burkina Faso Victim Says He Hung Up On Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
    Yves Richard tells Montreal radio station 98.5 FM he was frustrated about what he called Trudeau's platitudes during their conversation Monday.

    Yves Richard, Husband Of Burkina Faso Victim Says He Hung Up On Prime Minister Justin Trudeau