The trial of a former Abbotsford vice-principal charged with two child pornography offences started Monday (May 3) with an application from the defence to have some of the evidence tossed out.
The trial for Mike Haire went to a voir dire (a trial within a trial). It is not known how long the voir dire will take before the judge issues a decision on the evidence and when the trial itself will proceed.
The proceedings are taking place in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster. Haire was charged in September 2018 with making child porn available and possessing child porn.
He was the vice-principal at W. A. Fraser Middle School at the time of his arrest.
The Abbotsford Police Department said Haire was arrested after their internet child exploitation unit launched an investigation in July 2018.
RELATED: Abbotsford middle school vice-principal charged with child porn offences
A search warrant was executed at Haire’s home in Abbotsford, where computers, data storage devices and cellphones were seized, police said.
They said a forensic examination revealed thousands of images and videos depicting child pornography and child abuse.
At the time of his arrest, Haire had been a teacher and administrator in Abbotsford for 12 years, and was hired at Fraser Middle School in 2016.
He previously spent 10 years teaching digital visual arts at Clayburn Middle School, where he established a film and broadcasting program.
vhopes@abbynews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
