Editor’s note: The child pornography charges against Sudbury nephrologist Ian MacDonald were withdrawn by the Crown on Oct. 7, 2020 after Justice Heather-Ann Mendes ruled in September that search warrants issued following the seizure and subsequent search of MacDonald’s office computer were facially invalid and that the warrants “exceeded the authority that was intended to be granted.”
The trial for Dr. Ian MacDonald, a Health Sciences North nephrologist charged with several counts of child pornography, begins July 13.
A trial confirmation hearing was held today in the Ontario Court of Justice.
The trial for the nephrologist was set for June 22-25, then was set to resume again July 13-17, however, courts were closed in March in a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
MacDonald was arrested May 15, 2019, by Greater Sudbury Police Service after staff at Health Sciences North contacted them about concerns regarding activity on a computer in the hospital, suspecting child pornography had been accessed on the device.
The Internet Child Exploitation Unit and Computer Forensic Unit executed search warrants and a forensic investigation was conducted on the computer seized from MacDonald's personal office.
He was charged with seven counts of accessing child pornography and two counts of possessing child pornography. He was released on bail on May 17.
A court-ordered publication ban has been imposed on evidence in the case.
MacDonald is being represented by Toronto lawyer Michael Lacy.
MacDonald has been suspended from HSN until completion of the legal proceedings. He had been a staff physician in the nephrology department since October 2006, as well as the director of Ian MacDonald Medicine Professional Corporation, according to his Linked In profile.
