Friday, September 17, 2010 Dan Carter will take part in an MMA tournament tonight at the Red Robinson Show Theatre.
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ary Annivers 1985-2010
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CONSTRUCTION ❚ Literacy Project
Dignitaries and guests gathered for a group photo at the site of the future Pitt Meadows library on Ford Road, just west of Harris Road late Tuesday afternoon. Following a short groundbreaking, guests toured the Solaris Towers project. The new library is scheduled to open in 2011.
Troy Landreville/TIMES
Child porn photos from rave gone viral by Jeremy Shepherd editorial@mrtimes.com
S
everal men and youths gangraped a 16-year-old female, while at least one youth took pictures at a Pitt Meadows rave last Friday, according to Ridge Meadows RCMP. Police say pictures of the alleged incident are now spreading “like wildfire.” “I’ve never experienced anything like what’s happened in this current investigation,” said Sergeant Jennifer Hyland. Police arrested a 16-year-old earlier this week, and are pursuing
criminal charges against him for production of child pornography. Police allege the arrested youth witnessed a sexual assault for more than 20 minutes, took photos, and sent them to friends on Facebook. Constable Aaron Lloyd said the graphic photos have been disseminated via Facebook and cellphones, and police efforts to stop the spread of the pictures have been futile. Lloyd said police began their investigation after a young person saw the photos on Facebook and contacted them. Ridge Meadows RCMP are currently trying to track down the five to seven men and youths they allege committed rape.
Photos of the alleged sexual assault were distributed on cell phones and posted on Facebook, according to police. “Every time you hit send on that photo, you are distributing child pornography,” Hyland said. Police are asking witnesses to come forward. A few hundred people attended the rave, according to Lloyd. He said some young people have been uncooperative with the investigation. Hyland said there are rumours and comments on Facebook indicating the alleged victim consented to have sex. “Despite what some people think they saw, this was rape,” she said.
Hyland said the victim was likely drugged and could not have consented. When asked how the victim was faring, Hyland replied, “Not well.” She said the alleged victim was injured and was currently receiving medical help. Police are awaiting the results of a toxicology test to help determine if the young woman received a daterape drug. Inspector Derren Lench said police believed a party at the secluded, rural Pitt Meadows property was going to take place on Saturday, and not Friday. “We would’ve liked to have had a stronger presence,” he said. Lench said police are looking at
investigating a number of possible offences associated with the party. “Obviously, the ones we want to put behind bars are the ones who actually committed the rape,” he said. Lench said tickets were sold for the rave. Pitt Meadows Mayor Don MacLean said a peaceful party had been held at the private property two weeks prior to the rave. “It’s deeply disturbing,” MacLean said, regarding the alleged sexual assault. He said a similar incident could have happened in any community. Lloyd said the young people whom police believe planned the rave are not the owners of the property.
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