Three years for luring teens?

Sentencing for a Salmon Arm man who pleaded guilty to child sex charges has been delayed for the second time while another psychiatric assessment is completed.

Brecken Peters pleaded guilty in January to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of child luring. Sentencing was set for April then delayed until November so a psychiatric assessment could be completed.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Brad Smith presided over Peters' sentencing hearing, which got underway on Tuesday in Salmon Arm.

According to an agreed statement of facts, a cellphone belonging to Peters was seized by police following a report from Snapchat that his account had uploaded suspected child pornography.

Investigators found 13 such images and 78 such videos on the device.

Recruited as 'sex slaves'

Thousands of other videos and images on the phone were found to be child-related, but they did not meet the definition of child pornography.

The phone also contained records of messages Peters exchanged with 13 underaged girls in which he attempted to pay them to recruit them as "sex slaves.” The messages formed the basis of the child luring charge.

Court heard Peters messaged underage girls on Instagram and Snapchat. The girls were between the ages of 13 and 17. In one case, he stopped messaging with someone who said she was 20.

All of the incidents took place in 2021 when Peters was 23.

Peters appeared in person for his sentencing, with both his parents sitting beside him in court. His grandfather was also in attendance.

Crown wants federal time

The Crown is seeking a jail sentence of up to three years for Peters — 12 months on the child pornography charge and a further 18 to 24 months for luring.

Defence lawyer Glenn Verdurmen said none of the interactions resulted in pornographic pictures being sent and none of the exchanges lasted more than a day.

The previous psychiatric evaluation found Peters to be without cognitive impairment. The doctor diagnosed him with a pedophilic disorder, depression and possibly autism.

Verdurmen argued the diagnoses outlined in the psychiatric report impacted Peters’ decision-making ability at the time of the offences and should weigh in his favour on sentencing. The Crown disagreed.

Smith said he needs more information.

Sentencing was adjourned for Peters to undergo a further psychiatric assessment, which will specifically consider to what degree his cognitive ability was impaired by his mental disorders at the time of the incidents.

A new sentencing date has not been set, but court heard the assessment is expected to take about nine weeks.

Peters is not in custody.