A convicted pedophile from Maple Ridge man who molested children in South East Asia was sentenced Tuesday to three months in prison for possessing a laptop capable of accessing the Internet.
Judge Patrick Chen handed Christopher Paul Neil three years probation, in addition to the prison term, but credited him for time already spent in custody. It means Neil’s sentence will last 48 days.
Neil was the subject of an international manhunt in 2007 after Interpol unscrambled digitally swirled images of him engaging in sexual acts with young boys from Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, ranging in age from six to 16.
He was placed under an 18-month peace bond when he returned to Canada in October 2012 as police believed he was a risk to public safety. The peace bond prohibited Neil from accessing the Internet via a computer or phone, conditions he breached 10 months later.
Neil pleaded guilty last fall to one count of possessing a device capable of accessing the Internet.
Neil also faces five new charges for sexual touching, invitation to sexual touching and production of child porn related to incidents in 2003 that took place in Cambodia.
He is also accused of possessing child porn in 2007 while in Maple Ridge, as well as possessing and viewing child porn in Vancouver last year. None of the allegations have been proven in court but B.C.’s Criminal Justice Branch said Neil will be tried on those charges after he completes the sentence for the breach.
Neil grew up in Maple Ridge, but has no fixed address at the moment. His family still lives in the community.
Neil attended the Seminary of Christ the King in Mission from 1995 to 1999 and received a B.C. independent teaching certificate in 2000.
He also volunteered at St. Patrick’s Catholic School in Maple Ridge in 2000 and 2001 and was a substitute teacher at Arch Bishop Carney in Port Coquitlam in 2007.
