Bradley Hutchison, a 41-year-old former Calgary martial arts gym owner and taekwondo instructor, was sentenced to two years in prison and three years probation at the Calgary Courts Centre after pleading guilty to child pornography and child luring offences involving underage girls contacted online.
The Two-Year Investigation and Guilty Plea
The criminal acts took place between 2016 and 2018 when Hutchison was between 31 and 33 years old. Justice Sheri Epp accepted a joint sentencing proposal submitted by prosecutor Richelle Freiheit and defence lawyer Krysia Przepiorka.
According to an agreed statement of facts read in court by Freiheit, Hutchison targeted 17 teenage girls online over a nearly two-year period. None of the victims belonged to his martial arts studio. The victims ranged in age from 10 to 17 years old, with many residing in the Philippines. Hutchison admitted to engaging in highly sexualized conversations and photo-sharing, encouraging and receiving pictures from some of the teens.
Court Findings on Mental Health and Judicial Remarks
During the proceedings, Justice Epp heard that Hutchison has since been diagnosed with autism and probable schizophrenia, alongside lifelong struggles with other mental health issues. Despite these disclosures, the judge characterized Hutchison’s targeted online behaviour as egregious.
The court reviewed messages between Hutchison and 17 girls detailed in the agreed statement of facts. In one specific instance highlighted during the hearing, a 15-year-old girl from India told Hutchison she loved him and asked if he would marry her. Another young teen engaged in five months of online messaging with him. When an in-person meeting was proposed, Hutchison stated he was afraid to do so.
Impact on Victims and Ongoing Probation Terms
Victim impact statements entered into the record detailed lasting psychological consequences. One complainant described trauma, shame, anxiety, and depression that has lasted years, as noted by Justice Epp during sentencing.
The sentence includes three years of probation following his two-year prison term.
Worth a look
- Akamai Developer Sheilah Kirui Demonstrates Speculative Decoding
- McDonald’s Canada lance la promotion Monopoly avec plus de 400M$ de prix
- Caleb Flynn Sentenced to Life in Prison for Wife’s Murder (archyworldys.com)
- Lee Andrews Released From Dubai Prison After Four Months, thesun.ie Reports (archynewsy.com)
