M. Edwardh

The offender pleaded guilty to attempted possession of child pornography.

He was a 57-year-old single parent of a 12-year-old adopted son with special needs, employed as a chartered accountant in the Ontario Public Service for 24 years.

At his workplace in May 2014, cyber security detected attempts to access pornographic websites, including some with references to minors.

A search of his home revealed chat logs of online conversations with sexual content involving children.

The Crown sought six months custody; the defence sought 30 days served intermittently.

The court imposed 37 days intermittent custody followed by three years probation with extensive conditions, considering the offender's lack of criminal record, genuine remorse, low risk assessment, and the impact on his dependent son.

In a certified copyright infringement class action, the representative plaintiff sought court approval of a proposed settlement under the Class Proceedings Act, 1992.

The settlement would have required the defendant to fund a $350,000 cy‑près trust for public interest litigation, modify copyright notices, and receive non‑exclusive copyright licences from class members for court documents included in its legal database.

Individual class members would receive no monetary compensation, while class counsel sought $825,000 in fees.

The court held that the settlement was not fair, reasonable, or in the best interests of the class, emphasizing that it provided minimal benefit to class members while requiring them to grant valuable licences and releases.

The motions for settlement approval and counsel fee approval were dismissed.