Lahey’s Sentencing Delayed

In May former Antigonish Bishop Raymond Lahey pleaded guilty to pssession of child pornography. Lahey surprised the court by voluntarily asking to be incarcerated while waiting for his sentencing hearing.

I have already speculated about the reasons behind this move Lahey Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

On Friday Lahey was supposed to be back in court for his sentencing hearing. But the hearing has now been delayed because the psychiatrist hired to conduct a psychological examinaition has not provided a copy of his clinical file to the Crown Prosecutors.

Lawyers for the Crown told the court that they had yet to receive Lahey’s clinical file from Dr.John Bradford, who examined Lahey at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre.

Prosecutors want time to examine the clinical records to properly cross-examine Bradford about his findings in a sexual behaviours assessment.

Lahey faces a mandatory one-year minimum sentence but the judge could sentence Lahey to up to ten years in prison. My colleagues who do criminal defence have told me that a sentence that long would be unusual. But one can always hope…