Judge Alan Tufts said he had only briefly glanced through the photos, as the exhibits were “well described in the material.”
“I can only describe this as being horrendous in its impact,” Tufts said in describing the gravity of the offences. “There’s no limit to the negative superlatives that can be used to describe the gravity.”
Jason Troy Pitts, 39, had nothing to say prior to being handed a seven-year prison sentence on Feb. 4 in Kentville provincial court. He had pleaded guilty in October to several child pornography charges and eight counts of conspiracy to commit sexual assault on children.
This was the sentence recommended by Crown prosecutor Peter Dostal. Defence attorney Thomas Singleton had recommended a sentence in the range of three-and-a-half years.
Tufts said he hopes Pitts gets some insight into his offences and the treatment he needs while in prison.
Pitts was sentenced to five years on the conspiracy charges and two years for making, possessing and accessing child porn. The court also granted a DNA order, a forfeiture order for items seized, a lifetime Section 161 order preventing Pitts from attending anywhere where children are present or can reasonably be expected to be present and a lifetime Sex Offender Information Registration Act order.
Pointing out that Pitts’ victims were in another country, the Philippines, Tufts said the message being sent is that children are valuable assets and need to be protected, “whether they’re in Canada or across the world.”
Pitts was involved in an online web streaming organization, Tufts said, where he was communicating with individuals in the Philippines. Pitts made contact with several individuals and was also approached by people on the other end about “participating in these sorts of activities.”
Pitts arranged for children to perform sexual acts with other children or with women for money. He was in communication with one woman, who the court called J.S., who had an eight- to 11-year-old child she referred to as her daughter.
Pitts spoke about bringing the woman and young girl to Canada and Pitts referred to himself as “daddy” in some conversations.
“He paid J.S. to have her perform certain sexual acts with this girl,” Tufts said.
The acts included oral sex and the exposure of genitals to Pitts.
There were five or six “live shows” and, in two instances, Pitts recorded these on his computer, which was the basis of the production charge. His discussions of various sexual performances and agreeing with women to have children perform sexual acts served as the basis of the conspiracy charges.
Pitts had a collection of child porn images and videos aside from the live shows, the basis of the accessing child porn charge. Singleton told the court there was approximately 16,500 child porn items found on Pitts’ computer equipment but most had been deleted and wouldn’t be accessible without forensic equipment. Singleton said only 303 of these items were accessible by Pitts. Of 162 videos, only 42 were accessible. Pitts also had 398 images on three DVDs that were accessible.
Singleton said Pitts, a diagnosed pedophile, “has that tendency to engage in this type of sexual conduct.”
Pitts was convicted of sexual interference about 10 years ago and served a six-month custodial sentence on that charge.
Tufts said the live shows Pitts was participating in and directing were “at the highest end” of the child pornography scale. Although Pitts didn’t physically touch the children involved, “He is directly responsible for the abuse of these children,” Tufts said.
“The demand for child porn feeds the abuse of these children,” he added.
Tufts said respect for all children is diminished when they’re “objectified and used as sexual objects” and this behaviour “erodes the value system we’re trying to promote in this society.”
Pitts pleaded guilty in October to making child porn, in the form of videos, in Kentville between June 19, 2011, and Jan. 2, 2012; possessing child porn, images and videos, and accessing child porn in Kentville on Dec. 14, 2011; and to eight counts of conspiring to commit sexual assault on a child. These offences were committed in North Kentville between June 26 and Aug. 26, 2011. All remaining charges against Pitts were withdrawn on Feb. 4.
Judge Alan Tufts said he had only briefly glanced through the photos, as the exhibits were “well described in the material.”
“I can only describe this as being horrendous in its impact,” Tufts said in describing the gravity of the offences. “There’s no limit to the negative superlatives that can be used to describe the gravity.”
Jason Troy Pitts, 39, had nothing to say prior to being handed a seven-year prison sentence on Feb. 4 in Kentville provincial court. He had pleaded guilty in October to several child pornography charges and eight counts of conspiracy to commit sexual assault on children.
This was the sentence recommended by Crown prosecutor Peter Dostal. Defence attorney Thomas Singleton had recommended a sentence in the range of three-and-a-half years.
Tufts said he hopes Pitts gets some insight into his offences and the treatment he needs while in prison.
Pitts was sentenced to five years on the conspiracy charges and two years for making, possessing and accessing child porn. The court also granted a DNA order, a forfeiture order for items seized, a lifetime Section 161 order preventing Pitts from attending anywhere where children are present or can reasonably be expected to be present and a lifetime Sex Offender Information Registration Act order.
Pointing out that Pitts’ victims were in another country, the Philippines, Tufts said the message being sent is that children are valuable assets and need to be protected, “whether they’re in Canada or across the world.”
Pitts was involved in an online web streaming organization, Tufts said, where he was communicating with individuals in the Philippines. Pitts made contact with several individuals and was also approached by people on the other end about “participating in these sorts of activities.”
Pitts arranged for children to perform sexual acts with other children or with women for money. He was in communication with one woman, who the court called J.S., who had an eight- to 11-year-old child she referred to as her daughter.
Pitts spoke about bringing the woman and young girl to Canada and Pitts referred to himself as “daddy” in some conversations.
“He paid J.S. to have her perform certain sexual acts with this girl,” Tufts said.
The acts included oral sex and the exposure of genitals to Pitts.
There were five or six “live shows” and, in two instances, Pitts recorded these on his computer, which was the basis of the production charge. His discussions of various sexual performances and agreeing with women to have children perform sexual acts served as the basis of the conspiracy charges.
Pitts had a collection of child porn images and videos aside from the live shows, the basis of the accessing child porn charge. Singleton told the court there was approximately 16,500 child porn items found on Pitts’ computer equipment but most had been deleted and wouldn’t be accessible without forensic equipment. Singleton said only 303 of these items were accessible by Pitts. Of 162 videos, only 42 were accessible. Pitts also had 398 images on three DVDs that were accessible.
Singleton said Pitts, a diagnosed pedophile, “has that tendency to engage in this type of sexual conduct.”
Pitts was convicted of sexual interference about 10 years ago and served a six-month custodial sentence on that charge.
Tufts said the live shows Pitts was participating in and directing were “at the highest end” of the child pornography scale. Although Pitts didn’t physically touch the children involved, “He is directly responsible for the abuse of these children,” Tufts said.
“The demand for child porn feeds the abuse of these children,” he added.
Tufts said respect for all children is diminished when they’re “objectified and used as sexual objects” and this behaviour “erodes the value system we’re trying to promote in this society.”
Pitts pleaded guilty in October to making child porn, in the form of videos, in Kentville between June 19, 2011, and Jan. 2, 2012; possessing child porn, images and videos, and accessing child porn in Kentville on Dec. 14, 2011; and to eight counts of conspiring to commit sexual assault on a child. These offences were committed in North Kentville between June 26 and Aug. 26, 2011. All remaining charges against Pitts were withdrawn on Feb. 4.
