It will be at least two more months before a South Surrey man who pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography learns his fate.
Earlier this month, lawyers in the case of Douglas Wayne Bowers set March 13, 2013 as the date to continue the carpenter’s sentencing hearing.
The court proceeding has been on hold since early September, when Bowers’ health was cited as grounds for an adjournment.
Following that, further delay was triggered when Bowers – who was ordered to make weekly court appearances until a new date could be set – reported that he had to find a new lawyer.
He is in court in connection with child pornography charges that were laid in September 2009, after an investigation that began in October 2008 led police to a man they described as a “prolific distributor of child sexual abuse images and video online.” A B.C. victim was identified.
In sentencing proceedings held in September, the court heard from a young woman who confirmed that her image was among those police seized from Bowers’ home during a June 2009 search.
The pair had connected through Facebook, the woman told Judge Michael Hicks.
Bowers initially pleaded guilty in December 2010 to possessing child pornography. Court proceedings have also been delayed since then by a retraction of that plea, followed by its reinstatement; Bowers has also changed lawyers one other time.
