Former Vernon Judo coach pleads guilty to child pornography charges

VERNON – Former Vernon Judo coach Bryan McLachlan pleaded guilty today, June 26, to two charges in relation to child pornography.

Bryan Jeffrey McLachlan, born 1970, had been due to stand trial in July on five charges relating to child pornography but instead opted to plead guilty to one charge of possession of child pornography and one charge of Importing or distributing child pornography.

Defence lawyer Nicholas Jacob requested McLachlan have a psychiatric and risk assessment report done prior to sentencing.

Mclachlan was an active member of the Vernon Judo club and for several years coached at the club. A club member previously told iNFOnews.ca Mclachlan left the club in 2017.

McLachlan was originally charged in December 2017 with three counts of possessing child pornography, accessing child pornography and distributing child pornography, for incidents that took place between August and October 2017. He was then charged with two further counts of making or publishing child pornography and accessing child pornography for incidents in March 2014.

McLachlan is scheduled to be sentenced late this summer or early fall.

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