N.B. broadcaster guilty on child porn charge
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 | 5:07 PM AT
CBC News
A former New Brunswick broadcaster was found guilty Tuesday of accessing child pornography.
Dennis Melanson, 49, once hosted Melanson Live on Rogers Cable 10 in Fredericton and worked as radio station Fred FM's news director until he was charged with the offense in 2005.
Melanson had claimed that the images of children performing sexual acts that were found on his office computer at Rogers Cable were research for an upcoming story.
A police officer, who appeared on Melanson's television show on February 23, 2005, testified in provincial court that Melanson had told him he was considering doing a program on child pornography.
Melanson's research could have been considered educational up until that point, Justice Graydon Nicholas told the court when handing down his decision Tuesday, but his continued surfing for such images after that date and his conversation with the officer were excessive.
During the trial, the court heard how hundreds of child pornography website hits were found on Melanson's computer between January and April 2005.
Melanson's lawyer, Howard Peters, said he's not yet sure whether his client will appeal the conviction.
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