SQLFusion - Police search former bishop\'s N.S. residences, office

Police search former bishop's N.S. residences, office

canada.com

Canwest News Service

October 13, 2009

SYDNEY, N.S. — The RCMP in Nova Scotia have searched two former residences and the office of ex-bishop Raymond Lahey, who currently faces child pornography charges in Ottawa.

Police seized two computers after three separate search warrants — one in Sydney and two in Antigonish — were executed. Two computers and some external media were seized from the Antigonish search, which took place Tuesday afternoon, said RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Bridgit Leger.

The results of the Sydney search, which took place Wednesday morning, were not immediately known.

Leger said the searches were not based on new allegations, but on information that came out of the investigation first launched by the Ottawa Police Service.

"In investigations of this nature, often times the images are not reserved to one computer," said Leger. "History has told us, based on previous investigations, that there may be a number of computers or outlets utilized. . . . To be prudent, we continued with our investigation here in this province."

However, if additional charges are to be laid, they will be separate from the Ottawa charges, she said.

Lahey, 69, was charged on Sept. 25 with possessing and importing child pornography after a search of his laptop at an Ottawa airport allegedly revealed graphic images.