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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020327/ap_wo_en_ge/canada_child_porn_2
Court ruling that child sex stories have artistic merit sparks anger in Canada
Wed Mar 27,12:20 PM ET
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - A judge's ruling that graphic stories about children involved in sadomasochistic sex had artistic merit brought an angry response Wednesday from child advocacy groups in Canada.
Justice Duncan Shaw of the British Columbia Supreme Court ruled that John Robin Sharpe was innocent of child pornography charges related to his Boyabuse series of writing.
Shaw convicted Sharpe on two counts of possession of child pornography for photographs seized at the Canada-U.S. border and at Sharpe's Vancouver apartment. He faces a possible maximum sentence of two years.
If he had been convicted of the more serious charge of intent to distribute child pornography in the form of his writings, which police said described children as young as 6 years old willingly engaging in sex acts, Sharpe could have received a 10-year sentence.
"I find there is some objectively established artistic value to Boyabuse," said Shaw's ruling, issued Tuesday. Shaw noted that writings by the Marquis de Sade include "scenes of sexual torture of women and children, scenes which in terms of sadistic cruelty and horror go far beyond those written by Mr. Sharpe."
Court ruling that child sex stories have artistic merit sparks anger in Canada
Wed Mar 27,12:20 PM ET
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - A judge's ruling that graphic stories about children involved in sadomasochistic sex had artistic merit brought an angry response Wednesday from child advocacy groups in Canada.
Justice Duncan Shaw of the British Columbia Supreme Court ruled that John Robin Sharpe was innocent of child pornography charges related to his Boyabuse series of writing.
Shaw convicted Sharpe on two counts of possession of child pornography for photographs seized at the Canada-U.S. border and at Sharpe's Vancouver apartment. He faces a possible maximum sentence of two years.
If he had been convicted of the more serious charge of intent to distribute child pornography in the form of his writings, which police said described children as young as 6 years old willingly engaging in sex acts, Sharpe could have received a 10-year sentence.
"I find there is some objectively established artistic value to Boyabuse," said Shaw's ruling, issued Tuesday. Shaw noted that writings by the Marquis de Sade include "scenes of sexual torture of women and children, scenes which in terms of sadistic cruelty and horror go far beyond those written by Mr. Sharpe."
