A Yukon Supreme Court justice has rejected dangerous offender status for a former Yukon man. However, the judge sentenced him to 16 years in a federal prison for sexually abusing children and making child pornography.

The man, whose name cannot be published to protect the 13 victims’ identities, was in court last Thursday before Justice Ron Veale.

The 50-year-old pled guilty to nine counts of making child pornography, 11 counts of sexual interference with a person under the age of 16, two counts of possessing child pornography and three counts of voyeurism.

According to the agreed statement of facts, the man committed these offences while living and traveling in the territory between 2008 and 2015.

Many of the victims were friends of the man’s daughter or his relatives. He committed his acts while the victims were at his residence for sleepovers or travelling with him in the Yukon, B.C. or Ontario.

At least five of the girls had some memory of the sexual abuse. The other victims were made aware during the investigation.

Seven said they were given pills – which the offender called vitamins – before going to bed.

The man recorded video and took photographs of some of his assaults. Police recovered 58 videos and 644 photos, all of which qualify as child pornography.

The police obtained these materials from the man’s son, who had suspicions of his father’s behaviour.

In some of the recorded materials, the victims appear to have their eyes closed and look like they’re sleeping, while in others, they’re awake.

The man’s daughter, who did not have any recollection of the incidents, appeared in some of the video sleeping.

The man was arrested Feb. 12, 2015 in B.C. and has remained in custody since.

Veale said the man’s pedophilia is in the high range. He said the Crown is arguing that the pedophilia is intractable, and the man is unpredictable. The Crown further argued he’s at risk of re-offending.

The Crown’s position is that the man is a dangerous offender, arguing that he always held down a good job and was an active churchgoer, which put him in a position of trust to those around him.

The judge said the man was good at manipulating people, which speaks to how dangerous he is.

Veale pointed out that Dr. Shabehram Lohrasbe, a forensic psychiatrist, never said the man is untreatable.

Lohrasbe has indicated he would put the man on supervision for the rest of his life.

Agreeing, Veale said he understands the families do have concerns, explaining they feel there is no treatment that will make the man safe enough to be let back in the community.

Veale noted Lohrasbe said pedophiles can be treated in the community. The doctor found that the man is remorseful for the harm he caused.

Veale felt the Crown did not prove the man is a dangerous offender, and rejected that designation.

He does believe the man is a long-term offender – a declaration the Crown had alternatively sought.

For that status, the Crown did not have to prove anything beyond a reasonable doubt. The judge alone has to be satisfied that the offender qualifies for this status.

Veale said the data show the man could re-offend, and felt fairly certain he would if not treated.

The Crown sought a 14- to 16-year sentence, which is the norm for the long-term offender status. The defence argued for a seven- to nine-year term. Both sides agreed that the sentences for each instance would be concurrent.

Veale went through some aggravating factors. Each of the man’s victims are under 14 years old. The man knew some of the parents or the victims were otherwise known to him or his daughter. The judge said this put the man in a position of power.

Some of the assaults occurred when the victims were sleeping. Veale said these are some of the worst evils that can be committed, noting children are robbed of their innocence and families can break up.

“It is hard to describe the acts and their consequences,” Veale said.

He believes the man must know he needs to pay a heavy price for his crimes.

The justice gave him credit for an early guilty plea, which spared the victims from having to sit through a trial.

Veale came to a total of 26 years in prison for all charges, but found this would be crushing. Both the Crown and the defence agreed.

The judge reduced the sentence to 16 years in prison, giving credit for time served. The man has been in custody for 866 days.

The offender will be subject to a 10-year supervision order once he is released. He will be banned from going to any public pool, park, school, daycare and other such areas.

No minor can be in his care at any point, and he can have no contact with anyone under 16 years of age.

The man will also be subject to a DNA order and a 10-year firearm prohibition.

Once he is released, he will be on the sex offender registry for life. Any no contact orders will remain in place.