Former Goulds priest pleads not guilty to child pornography charges

Former Anglican priest Robin Barrett, who was convicted on child pornography charges seven years ago, has pleaded not guilty to more of the same charges.

Robin Barrett is led into court.

Barrett, 58, was formally arraigned in Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court Monday morning, and entered not guilty pleas to three charges: possessing child pornography, accessing child pornography, and distributing or selling child pornography. The alleged incidents are said to have taken place between November 2013 and July 2015.

Barrett's lawyer, Mark Gruchy, told the court he was researching an issue related to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in connection with the case. Barrett's case will be called again in Supreme Court Oct. 2.

In September 2010, Barrett — who was removed as rector of Goulds parish upon his arrest — pleaded guilty to charges of possessing and distributing child pornography, and was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in jail. Police found 31,460 photos and 3,451 videos on his computer depicting children as young as six months old, many of them being sexually assaulted.

During his sentencing on those charges, Barrett apologized to everyone affected by his actions, to his family for causing them "shame and harm," to his friends for breaking their trust, to his church family for putting a "bad light on the gospel" and to his colleagues for casting a bad light on the clergy.

Barrett is currently not in custody, but living in C.B.S. under strict court orders, including that he have no access to a computer, cellphone, or camera and not have WiFi in his home, that he stay away from public places where children gather and have no contact with anyone under 16, that he remain home between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and that he notify police 24 hours in advance if he plans to visit his mother in Conception Bay North.

[email protected]
Twitter: @tara_bradbury