VANCOUVER -- A former teacher at an elite Vancouver private school has been sentenced to three months in prison and two years' probation after he pleaded guilty to accessing and possessing 41 images of child pornography.

The Provincial Court judge stated in their ruling that although the illegal images Christopher Charles Ingvaldson, 43, accessed at home and while working at St. George's School were "'very bad', there are more extreme cases."

Judge W. J. Kitchen ruled that the media glare from the case embarrassed Ingvaldson, "his school, his colleagues, his head master, and in particular his students - even though the offences did not involve the school in any way or endanger the students."

Ingvaldson was reported to have told the court "I have lost many things since being arrested in June, 2010; a marriage, a career that I loved, numerous friendships, respect in the community at large," according to the ruling.

He was caught in 2010 during an international police sting using Facebook. At the time, RCMP said 11 members of the ring had been arrested in Canada, Australia and the U.K.

Ingvaldson had previously taught at another Vancouver private school, West Point Grey Academy, with federal Liberal leadership hopeful Justin Trudeau.

The Crown had asked for a six-month prison term and two years' probation. For the next five years after his prison sentence he is not allowed to go to public parks, swimming pools or other areas where children under 16 are expected to be present, unless he is with another adult over 21. During that same period, he is not allowed to work or volunteer with children under 16 in a position of trust or authority.

Ingvaldson also had to provide a DNA sample and will be registered as a sex offender for 10 years.

Read the ruling here:

http://www.provincialcourt.bc.ca/judgments.phplink=http://www.canlii.org/en/bc/bcpc/doc/2012/2012bcpc437/2012bcpc437.html

mhager@postmedia.com

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