ST. JOHN’S, N.L.—A Newfoundland man has been found not guilty of possessing child pornography after a judge determined it was not proven he knew the sex doll he ordered was child-sized. A provincial court judge said Thursday that the Crown failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Kenneth Harrisson knew what was in the box delivered to his St. John’s home in 2013.

Judge Mark Pike said he accepted expert testimony that the doll was child pornography, and he said the reasons Harrisson gave for ordering the doll did not ring true. But he concluded the Crown did not meet the burden of proof for a criminal conviction.

During the trial, Harrisson testified that he meant to order an adult-sized doll for companionship to replace his son, who died in infancy decades earlier.

The unusual case has been working its way through the courts for years. It is believed to be the first trial in Canada dealing with child pornography charges involving a sex doll. Thursday’s decision found Harrisson, 54, not guilty of possessing child pornography and mailing obscene material. He was also acquitted on two charges under the federal Customs Act of smuggling and possession of prohibited goods.

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