An apologetic and remorseful Robert Reddekopp told a provincial court judge Monday he is eager to enter a sexual offender treatment program and bury his past.
"I regret any harm that I've done. It's been a long haul and I've learned a lot," he told Judge Robert Jackson.
"I look forward to the treatment and to take care of this once and for all. I want to get it in the past and come out the other side a better person." The 45-year-old Saskatoon man, who was recently teaching English in Thailand, was facing two charges of possession of child pornography.
Thousands of images of young boys engaged in various acts of masturbation, anal and oral sex with other children and adults were found in a dumpster.
Some materials contained an address for a basement suite at 1713 Ave. C North, which belonged to Reddekopp.
He pleaded guilty Monday to one charge and had the other stayed by Crown prosecutor Michael Segu as part of a joint submission.
Reddekopp was sentenced to serve an 18-month conditional term in the community rather than prison. He must abide by conditions such as a curfew, a ban on owning or operating a computer, accessing the Internet and possessing child pornography.
He must also provide a DNA sample for a national database and have his name added to the national sex offender registry.
Segu noted Reddekopp has no criminal record, has been co-operative and has not breached any conditions after being arrested and released in April 2006.
Don Mullord, Reddekopp's lawyer, told court his client acknowledges collecting hard-core pornography, but Mullord said Reddekopp has no interest in doing it again.
"It has had a devastating effect on his life. He has been ostracized by family and friends and spends his time alone at home or work," Mullord said, noting Reddekopp is making little more than minimum wage as a parking lot attendant.
Those financial considerations convinced Jackson and Segu to forego the victim surcharge -- about $2,000. Reddekopp must perform 100 hours of community service instead.
He came to the attention of police in September 2002 after an individual rummaging through dumpsters found computer discs and printed materials containing child porn images and stories.
Police recovered 617 floppy discs and numerous documents containing 1,200 images, of which 1,000 involved males between the ages of four and 17.
Police learned he just left the country for Bangkok.
A couple of e-mail printouts regarding a teaching job in Thailand were found under a mattress during a search of the residence, Segu told Jackson.
A Canada-wide warrant was issued for Reddekopp's arrest on April 3, 2003, but police had to wait until he stepped back onto Canadian soil to arrest him. He was apprehended by police in Vancouver on April 7, 2006, upon his return to Canada.
The arrest was a joint operation with the Saskatoon Police Service, National Child Exploitation Co-ordination Centre, RCMP Thailand liaison offi ce, Canada Border Services Agency and Passport Canada.
Mullord said it wasn't a situation in which his client fled Canadian authorities, nor was Reddekopp caught off-guard by authorities when he returned to Canada.
Reddekopp had no knowledge of the charges until 2006, when he went to the Canadian Embassy in Thailand to renew his passport. He was denied and told there were outstanding criminal charges against him. Reddekopp called Saskatoon police and made arrangements to return and deal with the charges, Mullord said.
Jackson commended Reddekopp for "not trying to duck responsibility," but warned him that any breach of his conditions will result in the remainder of the sentence being served behind bars.
Reddekopp said he is willing to do whatever is required and plans to return to Thailand once his sentence is over.
He is in a solid relationship with a man in Thailand "who has been a rock" throughout the ordeal, he told Jackson.
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