HUNTER: Pedophile's 17-year sentence will upset the faculty lounge

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Pedophile Richard Dyke is set to make history and enter the pantheon of our most vile and perverted.

Dyke, 48, will be receiving the longest ever sentence for sexually offending against children handed down in Saskatchewan. Seventeen years in the slammer.

Now, that’s not to say our the shockingly naive Supreme Court of Canada won’t see their way clear to spring Dyke on the public well ahead of schedule.

But for now, Dyke — who prosecutors estimate had at least 33 victims over decades — has pleaded guilty to 10 criminal charges. Among the beefs? Making child pornography, sexual interference and voyeurism.

Crown Prosecutor Stephen Yusuff said Dyke had been an avid collector of child pornography since at least 1997. This reminded me of former Department of National Defence scientist Blair Evans, whose work and home computers were chock-full of the evil filth.

At the time, 1997, cops estimated that Evans’ full-time job was, in reality, downloading child pornography.

Back in Moose Jaw, each of the counts against Dyke featured multiple victims. The victims ranged from infants to teens, the Crown said.

Oddly, the 17-year prison sentence (minus dead time) was part of a joint submission between the prosecution and defence. Judge Brian Hendrickson said he would “almost certainly” sign off on the deal.

“If you accept the joint submission we are proposing today, you will be imposing on Mr. Dyke the highest-ever sentence for sexual offending against children in Saskatchewan,” Yusuff told the judge.

The child pornography comprised a large number of the charges against Dyke. One of his favourite methods was using a hidden camera. There was no shortage of close-ups of children’s genitals.

In one series of images, an adult male hand touches the children’s privates. Dyke said the hand was his. Then he had the victims masturbate him. In addition, he showed child pornography to other children.

Dyke was busted in November 2023 and has been on ice in the local jail every since.

“There is no justification for what I did. As I sat in remand and thought of my situation, I’ve come to the conclusion I will never try to define why. There are no words on how remorseful I am for committing these crimes,” Dyke told the court, apologizing to the victims and those close to him for the “pain, hurt and trauma I’ve caused.”

He also apologized to his partner and his former wife of 20 years.

But the hard time awaiting Dyke is the exception rather than the rule in Canada. Earlier this month, B.C.’s Caleb Janzen, 36, was sentenced to just one year in jail after his treasure trove of 12,000 twisted child porn images were discovered. He pleaded guilty to possessing child abuse materials.

Again, the Crown and defence submitted a joint sentence calling for a two-year conditional sentence followed by 18 months of probation. The judge rejected the sentence and instead imposed a one-year custodial sentence on Janzen.

One year. That’s it. Sadly, the judge thought she was being Ms. Law and Order.

So for Dyke to face 17 years, well, that’s very unusual particularly given our times and when you consider the latest push from academia is to rebrand pedophiles as “Minor Attracted Persons.”

Denizens of the faculty lounge are not going to like the implications of Dyke’s long sentence.

Not one bit.

bhunter@postmedia.com

@HunterTOSun