AliEnvy
Refugee
Did anyone see the Dateline and Oprah exposés of internet pedophiles and child porn?
Not a shock that it exists, but I have been definitely shocked by the prevalence and organization.
Do your kids have web cams and net profiles on blogs? eeks
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Keith's actor faces child porn charge
Toronto police seize photos of children under 12
National Post and Global News Toronto
Thursday, February 16, 2006
The mutton-chopped actor best known as the beer-obsessed spokesman for Alexander Keith's has been arrested in Toronto for allegedly downloading child pornography.
Robert Norman Smith, 40, turned himself in at Toronto Police's 53 Division yesterday following an undercover investigation that resulted in a search warrant being executed at his residence on Tuesday.
Reached yesterday, Mr. Smith's agent said she had no comment and would no longer represent Mr. Smith.
Toronto Police Constable Scott Purches said officers seized a quantity of images -- he would not say how many -- from the actor's computer that depicted "prepubescent children engaged in sexual activity."
The pictures featured children younger than 12 participating in vaginal, anal and oral sex with adults, he said. "These are child abuse pictures."
Most of the images showcased young girls, Const. Purches said.
However, Const. Purches could not rule out that some of the photos may include boys.
In recent years, Mr. Smith has portrayed an over-the-top beer lover in a series of commercials for Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale.
Most of the spots feature the actor sporting a thick, grey wool sweater and kilt while warning other bar patrons in an exaggerated Scottish brogue that they should not spill a drop of their Alexander Keith's ale.
Labatt Breweries of Canada, which owns the Alexander Keith's label, said yesterday it would drop the spots featuring Mr. Smith once it confirms he has been charged.
"We are surprised to learn of these charges," spokesman James Villeneuve said in a statement released after the story was reported on Global News Hour last night.
"Clearly, we have decided not to run any future television commercials featuring this actor until this information is confirmed."
"If it is confirmed that this is the actor in question, our commercials and any further association with him will be terminated."
A neighbour in Mr. Smith's upscale neighbourhood near the intersection of Yonge Street and Lawrence Avenue said the actor had two small children.
Besides singing the praises on TV of a beer his character calls "the pride of Nova Scotia," Mr. Smith has also appeared in such Hollywood films as Cinderella Man, which starred Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger, and Pushing Tin, which featured Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton.
He also acted with the Second City comedy team based in Toronto.
Mr. Smith, who was released on $25,000 bail after a court appearance yesterday, is charged with two counts of possessing child pornography and one count of making child pornography available.
Const. Purches, who helped conduct the search of Mr. Smith's residence on Tuesday but was not present when he turned himself in, said he learned of the accused's fame while watching the news.
"It was a very big surprise," he said.
Asked what kind of beer Mr. Smith keeps in his home, the officer said: "Come to think of it, there was Keith's and Corona."
Not a shock that it exists, but I have been definitely shocked by the prevalence and organization.
Do your kids have web cams and net profiles on blogs? eeks
_________________________________
Keith's actor faces child porn charge
Toronto police seize photos of children under 12
National Post and Global News Toronto
Thursday, February 16, 2006
The mutton-chopped actor best known as the beer-obsessed spokesman for Alexander Keith's has been arrested in Toronto for allegedly downloading child pornography.
Robert Norman Smith, 40, turned himself in at Toronto Police's 53 Division yesterday following an undercover investigation that resulted in a search warrant being executed at his residence on Tuesday.
Reached yesterday, Mr. Smith's agent said she had no comment and would no longer represent Mr. Smith.
Toronto Police Constable Scott Purches said officers seized a quantity of images -- he would not say how many -- from the actor's computer that depicted "prepubescent children engaged in sexual activity."
The pictures featured children younger than 12 participating in vaginal, anal and oral sex with adults, he said. "These are child abuse pictures."
Most of the images showcased young girls, Const. Purches said.
However, Const. Purches could not rule out that some of the photos may include boys.
In recent years, Mr. Smith has portrayed an over-the-top beer lover in a series of commercials for Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale.
Most of the spots feature the actor sporting a thick, grey wool sweater and kilt while warning other bar patrons in an exaggerated Scottish brogue that they should not spill a drop of their Alexander Keith's ale.
Labatt Breweries of Canada, which owns the Alexander Keith's label, said yesterday it would drop the spots featuring Mr. Smith once it confirms he has been charged.
"We are surprised to learn of these charges," spokesman James Villeneuve said in a statement released after the story was reported on Global News Hour last night.
"Clearly, we have decided not to run any future television commercials featuring this actor until this information is confirmed."
"If it is confirmed that this is the actor in question, our commercials and any further association with him will be terminated."
A neighbour in Mr. Smith's upscale neighbourhood near the intersection of Yonge Street and Lawrence Avenue said the actor had two small children.
Besides singing the praises on TV of a beer his character calls "the pride of Nova Scotia," Mr. Smith has also appeared in such Hollywood films as Cinderella Man, which starred Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger, and Pushing Tin, which featured Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton.
He also acted with the Second City comedy team based in Toronto.
Mr. Smith, who was released on $25,000 bail after a court appearance yesterday, is charged with two counts of possessing child pornography and one count of making child pornography available.
Const. Purches, who helped conduct the search of Mr. Smith's residence on Tuesday but was not present when he turned himself in, said he learned of the accused's fame while watching the news.
"It was a very big surprise," he said.
Asked what kind of beer Mr. Smith keeps in his home, the officer said: "Come to think of it, there was Keith's and Corona."
