A Prince George man facing sentencing for one count of possessing child pornography told the court Monday he is "appalled and ashamed" for his thoughts and actions.
Darren Rodrick Buckley, 40, also said he's lost the respect of his family and friends and is "literally sick for the whole thing" when given a chance to speak during a sentencing hearing in provincial court.
Buckley was arrested in late February 2015 after a member of the B.C. RCMP's integrated child exploitation unit discovered he was downloading images from the internet.
RCMP subsequently seized three compact discs from his home. Combined, they contained more than 3,000 images and nearly 125 videos of child pornography. In most, but not all cases, the subjects posed nude and otherwise were not engaged in sexual activity.
Buckley admitted to police he had downloaded and viewed child pornography through a secured portal.
He said the experience was akin to "viewing an accident. It was hard to turn your eyes away from it," the court was told.
The files date from as far back as May 2013 to as late as December 2014.
Crown counsel is seeking nine months to one year in jail followed by three years probation, with an order to take a sexual offender treatment program as a condition.
Defence counsel argues the minimum of six months in jail followed by a term of probation is more appropriate given he pleaded guilty to the count.
Buckley will likely be sentenced next week.
