Former Mountie found guilty of child pornography charges in B.C. court

KELOWNA, B.C. – A former Mountie from Vernon, B.C., has been found guilty of possessing and accessing child pornography.

Ryan Hampton was also found guilty Friday of six counts of breaching a court order for contacting his ex-wife.

Hampton’s ex-wife, RCMP Const. Valerie Little, told B.C. Supreme Court that she found dozens of illegal images of girls and boys on his computer on a memory stick in 2013.

His lawyer, Jason Tarnow, told court that the couple was headed for a divorce and she downloaded the images in a bid to frame her husband.

“He will maintain his innocence (until) the day he dies,” Tarnow said outside court after the verdict was announced. “Obviously, the judge felt differently, and that’s unfortunate.”

Hampton has been in custody for seven months.

Justice Barry Davies said that with 1.5-times credit for time already served, Hampton’s sentence amounts to 10.5 months and would end Saturday.

“What is important is rehabilitation for the future,” Davies said. “He will never be a police officer again. He has lost his career and he has lost his family. In my view, he has received the punishment he deserves.”

Hampton must also serve two years’ probation.

Court heard the former Mountie was addicted to heroin, cocaine and alcohol at the time of the offences.

Hampton was suspended without pay almost immediately after his arrest in June 2013 and later resigned. (CKFR, Kelowna Daily Courier)