NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. — A British Columbia man who infamously disguised his face in child pornography he made in Southeast Asia will be sentenced today by a B.C. Supreme Court judge.
Christopher Neil pleaded guilty in December to five child-sex crimes that took place in Cambodia, Vancouver and Maple Ridge, B.C., spanning a 10-year period.
The Crown wants a five-year prison sentence, which would amount to about one year after taking off his time served, while Neil's lawyer argued the time his client spent in prison should suffice.
Neil has been held in custody since the RCMP Child Exploitation Unit arrested him two years ago following a sweeping investigation in B.C. and Cambodia.
At his April sentencing hearing, the 41-year-old who was dubbed "Swirl Face" by international media apologized to his victims and said he intends to change his behaviour.
Neil served nearly five years in a Thailand prison for the unrelated sexual abuse of two boys, but was released early and returned to Canada in the fall of 2012.
