The accused was charged with two counts of child luring contrary to section 172.1(2), one count of communication for the purpose of obtaining sexual services from a person under 18 years under section 286.1(2), and two counts of arranging a sexual offence with a child via telecommunication under section 172.2(2).
The Crown's case was based on an undercover investigation (Project Raphael) where an officer posed as a minor and engaged in text conversations with the accused.
The sole issue at trial was identification: whether the Crown proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused was the person who engaged in the text conversation with the officer, given that the phone used to send the messages was never recovered.
The court found that circumstantial evidence, including cellphone tower records, the timing and content of messages, and the circumstances of the accused's arrest, proved identification beyond a reasonable doubt.
The accused was convicted on all five counts.