A Saskatoon man who pleaded guilty to child porn offences will spend 18 months behind bars.
Gerhard Maynard, 58, was actively downloading child pornography when police searched his home in Saskatoon’s east side in May. He pleaded guilty last week in Saskatoon Provincial Court to possession of child pornography and making child pornography available. A charge of accessing child porn was stayed.
A provincial court judge accepted a joint submission of 18 months in jail, followed by three years of probation.
Some of Maynard’s probation conditions include not having access to the Internet, not being in a position of authority to anyone under the age of 16, and not being at public parks, pools and playground unless accompanied by an adult who is aware of his charges, according to his lawyer Brian Pfefferle.
Pfefferle told CTV News mitigating factors in the case include Maynard seeking counselling on his own after the charges were laid and that he pleaded guilty early in the case.
Maynard worked at the University of Saskatchewan in the research department.
The Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation Unit began investigating Maynard in February and arrested him in May.
The Saskatchewan ICE Unit is made up of investigators from the RCMP, Regina Police Service, Saskatoon Police Service and Prince Albert Police Service. The unit investigates crimes involving the abuse and exploitation of children on the Internet.
