A White Rock man charged 18 months ago in connection with the discovery of child pornography on a home computer has pleaded guilty to accessing the illegal content.
Garth Steeves entered the plea in Surrey Provincial Court March 2, court officials confirmed last week. He had been scheduled to go to trial this month on a total of three charges.
According to online court records, no plea was entered on the two other counts – of making or publishing child pornography and importing or distributing child pornography – however, they are to be considered in pre-sentencing, set for May 14. Psychiatric/psychological reports are to also be considered at that time.
Charges against Steeves were announced in October 2010, 5½ months after child pornography was found on one of two computers that were seized during a search of a White Rock home.
The April 28 search by members of the RCMP’s Integrated Child Exploitation (ICE) and Technological Crime units was part of a year-long investigation that was conducted in conjunction with ICE and Toronto police.
