There was progress in the court case against former Sudbury reporter Callam Senyk-O’Flanagan (also known as Callam Rodya) on Wednesday, but not for the child pornography charges he faces.
The court heard Senyk-O’Flanagan has retained a second lawyer on his matters, who will represent him alongside defence lawyer Jacob Gauthier. Disclosure needs to be reviewed by the new counsel, said Gauthier, and asked the matter be adjourned to Feb. 24.
The one drug possession charge Senyk-O’Flanagan faced has been dealt with by way of diversion, Gauthier said. That means it was dealt with out of court, and will likely result in no criminal record for that particular charge.
The matters involving materials related to child sexual abuse return to court Feb. 24. That will mark more than two years since Senyk-O’Flanagan was first charged with three counts each of possession of child pornography, accessing child pornography, and making available child pornography.
Senyk-O’Flanagan was arrested Feb. 13, 2019, following a months-long investigation by Greater Sudbury Police’s Cyber Crime Unit. Police said he downloaded child pornography using a file-sharing site between October 2018 and February 2019.
A search warrant of his home also resulted in the seizure of a small baggy containing what was suspected to be cocaine. That single charge of drug possession is the charge that is being diverted.
In almost two years following Senyk-O’Flanagan’s arrest, there has been little progress on the matter. He has yet to enter a plea, although he had been expected to do so several times since his arrest.
He was released on bail on Feb. 14, 2019, and has been living in Guelph under strict conditions.
