Delta4Embassy
Gold Member
- Dec 12, 2013
- 25,744
- 3,045
Child porn found on Levin s computer detailed - Kelowna Capital News
"TORONTO - A father of three who was once deputy education minister in Ontario and Manitoba encouraged people he met online to sexually abuse their children as part of "sadomasochistic" fantasies, his sentencing hearing was told Monday.
But whether Benjamin Levin's behaviour had the potential to cause real harm to children remained in dispute.
Levin, 63, pleaded guilty to three child pornography-related charges last month — he was originally charged with seven child porn-related offences.
A forensic psychiatrist called to testify by Levin's lawyer determined in an assessment that Levin had a "pedophilic interest in children" but that his behaviours were at "a fantasy level."
Levin had "distorted beliefs" that his fantasies were harmless, but he did not engage in any sexual abuse, said Dr. Julian Gojer.
"He's talked about sadistic acts involving children," Gojer said. "There's no indication Mr.Levin has actually had hands-on behaviour or sought out sexual contact with children."
The risk in Levin's behaviour was the impact his fantasies may have had with the people he discussed them with online, Gojer suggested."
The distinction between fantasy and reality has been a long-running theme in sexuality. Whether fantasies are okay across the board, or if some should be illegal even if only existing in someone's head. Seems this is getting a bit murkier now. In this particular instance, the guy being charged had actual child pornography on his computer as the article mentions further in. So he wasn't charged with fantasies but realities. But the fantasies seem to have played a part in the prosecution's case as if they were trying to get them factored in as an aggravating factor or something.
"TORONTO - A father of three who was once deputy education minister in Ontario and Manitoba encouraged people he met online to sexually abuse their children as part of "sadomasochistic" fantasies, his sentencing hearing was told Monday.
But whether Benjamin Levin's behaviour had the potential to cause real harm to children remained in dispute.
Levin, 63, pleaded guilty to three child pornography-related charges last month — he was originally charged with seven child porn-related offences.
A forensic psychiatrist called to testify by Levin's lawyer determined in an assessment that Levin had a "pedophilic interest in children" but that his behaviours were at "a fantasy level."
Levin had "distorted beliefs" that his fantasies were harmless, but he did not engage in any sexual abuse, said Dr. Julian Gojer.
"He's talked about sadistic acts involving children," Gojer said. "There's no indication Mr.Levin has actually had hands-on behaviour or sought out sexual contact with children."
The risk in Levin's behaviour was the impact his fantasies may have had with the people he discussed them with online, Gojer suggested."
The distinction between fantasy and reality has been a long-running theme in sexuality. Whether fantasies are okay across the board, or if some should be illegal even if only existing in someone's head. Seems this is getting a bit murkier now. In this particular instance, the guy being charged had actual child pornography on his computer as the article mentions further in. So he wasn't charged with fantasies but realities. But the fantasies seem to have played a part in the prosecution's case as if they were trying to get them factored in as an aggravating factor or something.
