Bishop Lahey – Guilty in Jail – awaiting final sentence

Canadian bishop sentencing hearing begins

“ -- Lahey pleaded guilty in May to importing child pornography in a rare case of a high-ranking Canadian Church official facing charges over sexual misconduct.

He waived his bail and was taken into custody even though he had not been formerly sentenced. His lawyer Michael Edelson had said Lahey wanted to start serving time now to get credit after sentencing.

Lahey is scheduled to return to court in December. His lawyer, Michael Edelson, has asked the judge to reschedule that appearance for an earlier date.

At the time of his guilty plea, the Vatican said the church would impose its own disciplinary or penal measures, but it did not elaborate on what punishment Lahey could face. Prelates who sexually abuse minors can be defrocked; lesser punishments include being forbidden from celebrating Mass publicly.

Last year, in the midst of the clerical abuse scandal, the Vatican made acquiring, possessing or distributing child pornography one of the most serious canonical crimes that are handled by the powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Lahey was charged in 2009 with possessing and importing child pornography after border agents examined his laptop at an Ontario airport on his return home from London, England.

According to court documents, Lahey became nervous when a border agent asked him if he had a laptop and ordered a second inspection when they discovered his passport contained stamps for Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Germany — countries that can be sources of child pornography.

Thompson told the court some content on Lahey's laptop ranked among the worst he has seen in scores of investigations into child pornography allegations.

"They're right up there," he said. "I mean, it doesn't depict infants, but the explicit images of torture are disturbing."--“

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