Former counsellor in West Vancouver sentenced to 4 months in jail and 18 months of probation

A former counsellor at a private school in West Vancouver has been sentenced to four months in jail and 18 months of probation after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography.

54 year old Luke Lawson was fired from Mulgrave School following his arrest in September 2020 after police found dozens of printed photos of nude girls aged eight to 13 years old inside his apartment.

His lawyers had argued for a conditional discharge while the Crown had been seeking a six-month sentence.

The judge ruled Lawson had suffered greatly for the offence but agreed jail time was appropriate because he had a duty as a professional who worked with children to protect them from harm.