Lorne Raymond Gale, 44, pleaded guilty to a downgraded charge of attempted voyeurism on Wednesday, Nov. 15, and was sentenced later in the day to a conditional discharge followed by 30 months probation.
Gale won’t have a criminal record if he abides by his probationary terms.
Day-long sentencing arguments in provincial court in Nanaimo heard Gale’s damaging and perplexing actions occurred July 14, 2022, and involved his daughter’s friend who was visiting from the Lower Mainland.
While outlining the facts, the Crown’s Leanne Mascolo said members of the Gale family and the unnamed victim were in the hot tub on his Cedar acreage prior to the offence.
Everybody except the offender went inside the home, while Gale remained outside on the exterior deck hanging towels at about 10 p.m.
Gale, knowing full well the girl’s age and a nearby shower inside the home had just turned off, reached above his head to a partially open window with the shower head placed beneath it.
Gale then took a series of pictures in succession until his crime of opportunity was abruptly called out.
“Hey!” the victim responded, upon seeing a phone with its recognizable black case pointed toward her.
Gale went inside and immediately admitted responsibility as his wife consoled the distraught victim.
Shortly after being violated she connected with her mother, however due to the late hour there was nowhere else for her to go.
At the insistence of the offender, Gale and his wife took the girl home the next morning where he took responsibility for his actions in person to the girl’s parents and asked for forgiveness.
Both families were connected through their involvement with their Christian faith, court was told.
Upon his arrest days later, Gale told police he immediately deleted the pictures after being caught by the girl.
Mascolo stated the erased pictures could not be retrieved by police and further extraction efforts would take a lengthy period of time and were not deemed an investigative priority since Gale admitted responsibility.
Based on the offender’s account, no actual photos of the victim were captured due to the insect screen.
Photo from Nanaimo News
Gale’s police interview
About a week after the incident the Nanaimo RCMP, armed with a search warrant, arrested Gale at his home in front of his wife and three kids.
A cooperative Gale provided passwords to several devices, which were seized by police. No incriminating material was found during the police probe of the Gale property.
He was transported to the police detachment where he was promptly upfront about his transgressions.
Stating he had nothing to hide, Gale insisted he didn’t have a sexual preference for children, reiterating he knew the victim was 13-years-old.
“He did tell the officer she’s well developed, has a large chest and a fine physique and she’s a beautiful girl,” Mascolo told the court.
Judge Ron Lamperson took particular interest in the statement.
After hearing the shower turn off, Gale told the investigator he noticed the normally closed window was open, he succumbed to his temptations.
“Mr. Gale also told police that he can’t explain what possessed him in this moment, and he described it as a knee-jerk reaction.”
Mascolo said Gale repeated his observation the victim was a well-developed young woman and her age didn’t match her physical appearance.
Sentencing arguments
The Crown pushed for a 60 to 90-day jail sentence, with Mascolo telling court she strongly opposed a discharge, opening the door for Gale’s record to be wiped clean.
Mascolo said she wasn’t aware of other examples where a child victimized in a similar manner resulted in a discharge.
“The general deterrence in this case, given a 13-year-old girl in a very vulnerable position and an expectation where she would be protected — the court needs, in the Crown’s submission, to send a strong message,” Mascolo said.
The defence’s conditional discharge request, ultimately granted, honed in on the unique circumstances of an accomplished engineer with a Ph.D. and no prior involvements with police.
Attorney Dale Marshall said his client admitted responsibility early on and took the proactive steps for ongoing clinical counseling sessions and a forensic psychiatrist’s assessment.
Gale, who’s had no breaches while released on bail, was determined to be a low risk to re-offend in the foreseeable future.
“This is a man with a lifetime of education, gainful employment and volunteering for the community through his church. He and his family like to travel…a criminal conviction can cause problems to impede travel, particularly to the United States,’ Marshall said.
Stating Gale runs two companies, which includes contracts with all levels of government, Marshall said his client is the sole income source for his family and any jail time would cause cascading negative impacts.
In response to Gale’s comments to police indicating the victim looks more mature than her age dictated, Marshall said the statement was in response to a question of whether Gale is attracted to children.
“In his stress and clumsiness and forthright cooperation with police, he expressed to them that ‘well she’s a very mature young girl’ and was putting into context to the question whether he had any fantasies about children,” Marshall said.
Visibly confused by the explanation, judge Lamperson wondered if Gale would not have targeted the victim if her appearance were more childlike.
“It would be impossible to answer that question because as he said to police very candidly ‘I can’t explain my actions.’”
Marshall said his client has dealt with severe collateral damage, including no church gatherings at his home for the past 16 months and temporary restrictions to be around his children until he was cleared by social workers.
Numerous character reference letters were submitted to the court for Gale, whose community involvement included serving as a member of the Colliery Dam Preservation Society.
Victim impact
While the victim and her family opted not to attend the sentencing hearing, the young girl’s mother submitted a powerful letter to the court.
She said immediately following the incident her daughter had a sudden lack of trust, feared sleeping, had a distrust of public washrooms, and was cautious around adults, particularly men.
Counseling sessions helped her daughter move on, her mother wrote.
“I myself have suffered anxiety and fear of being judged by our church members for being a whistleblower for going to the police when a crime was committed against our child by a member of our church.”
The mother is angry, sad, and riddled with anxiety for trusting the offender’s family with her daughter’s safety.
She hopes Gale gets professional help so he never exploits another child again.
Judgment
Judge Lamperson said deciding on Gale’s punishment was a “close call” and a difficult decision to make.
He emphasized the considerable mitigating factors in Gale’s favour, including promptly accepting responsibility, pleading guilty which ensured the victim wouldn’t have to testify, and the ramifications a criminal conviction would have on the offender and his family’s life.
“Those who work with the federal government even on a contract basis are likely usually obliged to have criminal record checks,” Lamperson said.
The judge believed a carefully crafted probation order with several conditions adequately satisfies the public’s interest.
An order of 100 hours of community service also applies against Gale, while he also agreed to an elevated $3,000 victim fine surcharge.
A visibly distraught Gale attended the hearing alongside his wife.
He didn’t provide a statement to the court, nor to NanaimoNewsNOW.
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Yet another let off way too easy!!
J Eckel ________________________________
I am so encouraged that the young victim immediately called out this behavior (also very sorry that she was forced to stay in the house for the night after this terrible experience), and that her mother followed up with legal action. They both will have to cope with the aftermath of this experience for many years, and will never be quite the same. The mother is not just a “whistleblower” but a good example and hero.
I’m glad Mr Gale “promptly accept[ed] responsibility” and also that this was handled (adequately or not) though the court system. His lawyer mentioned that he has suffered “severe collateral damage.” Anyone who harms a child should expect to suffer damage as a natural consequence of the damage they have inflicted.
Men, please work to have enough self-awareness that you don’t traumatize a young person with your “knee-jerk reaction.” Imagine what the world could be like if we all saw one another as human beings, rather than just bodies, “well-developed” or otherwise.
This guy, Gale, is a true amateur. Then, after he got caught, “Gale went inside and immediately admitted responsibility as his wife consoled the distraught victim”. This is VERY DIFFERENT than the professionals. Head worker, Dean Bruer, “actions include rape and abuse of underage victims. He totally abused his authority as an overseer in order to control, manipulate and threaten his victims”. It was not only Dean Bruer personally sexually assaulting underage girls, Dean Bruer had his cohorts running cover for him. Doyle Smith would write many months later, “None of us had any idea that such terrible things were happening until several weeks after his death”. Doyle Smith and the entire inner circle hoped this news would never get out. Doyle knew “several weeks after his death” and yet IT TOOK DOYLE NINE MONTHS to write his letter, letting the general membership know about Dean. Why? The information was about to be released and Doyle was running spin at that point. This guy, Gale, is a amateur pup. Just don’t let him hang out with the inner circle, then you will have to be concerned.
No, Lorne is dangerous. If his “knee-jerk” reaction is to video a 13 year old child, what’s he going to do if he happens to know his daughter is doing yoga in her underwear, and his knee-jerk reaction is to assault her?
He knew exactly what he was doing, and his quick response to admit, was his quick thinking to limit his liability in what should have been a lengthy prison sentence!
I feel very sorry for this child. I’m glad her parents taught her to respect herself and she immediately called him out on this. I completely support her parents for turning him in, as they should have. Lorne should be made to pay for all her medical bills and therapy that she will undoubtedly need in the future. I have seen her mother’s recent post and how it’s all affecting their daughter…very sad.
To limit his victims, I contacted our US Border Patrol, and they responded back to me (thanking me for giving the heads up), and hope they will have means to keep him from coming to the United States. We don’t need more perverts down here, we have enough of our own!
No responsible parent would allow their daughters to be anywhere near this person. No responsible social group would allow under aged children near him either.
Claiming he didn’t know what caused him to do it yet knew exactly how to permanently wipe out the images is a huge red flag.
I agree. He knew exactly what he was doing!
He should never be allowed anywhere there are females, because according to Mr. Gale – if you aren’t flat chested he can’t resist…no matter your age. Mr. Gale, Keep your travels to your own backyard, we don’t want you visiting America!
This is an exact example of a pervert! Look at that photo! Who would ever suspect HIM! That child or her parents had no warning!
Just got out of a “hot tub” might be the photo that needs to be published! Sounds like a good-joke the privileged swap with the GANG at a prayer breakfast. AND the judge HAD a Hard Call??? It might make his ‘free wheeling travel’ restricted (to the U.S.) if on his record. Or worse yet, his JOB might be affected. SO if any had the need to check on Him for their self protection: he has a clean Record!
Again, the need for for a “Court Record” would very much be NEEDED as all other forms of judging of his character are very misleading. He is married; his wife sat beside him in court. He has a family. He has a good income. His personal appearance is misleading.
AND friends wrote numerous letters of “character references”!((where have we read THAT tactic: before?)
AND the likes of us trust — that there is ‘righteous judgement’! That protects the innocent!
Remember he is NOT the only one that should have a sign around His Neck, blazoned in big letters: Sexual pervert!
Thank You WINGS for publishing this account. It is the ‘ONLY’ warning that will be given for many of those to protect their families! And many of the “WAY” will NOT see this because it is against the “WAY” to be on the computer! So the “good ones” have No Defense! HE Travels to the U.S.!
I did notify our US Customs, and requested he be refused entry.
US Customs wrote me back and thanked me for the Heads -Up
“No responsible parent would allow their daughters to be anywhere near this person”. This is a true statement. Also true is, “No responsible parent would allow their daughters or SONS to be anywhere near many workers”. Allowing a totally unknown worker in your house for an overnight stay, is inviting a stranger in the door. Yes, they come with the title, ” worker”, and that alone can be disarming (having the effect of allaying suspicion or hostility, especially through charm). It is a cozy, and crazy concept to trust anyone, even with a title, just for the sake of who they are said to be, or supposed to be. Dean Bruer was not a one off, a true wolf in sheep clothing. There have been many long time, “big name” workers exposed as sexual predators recently. How did they get away with their awful behavior for so long? The culture of secrecy. The culture of not exposing anything bad, or uncomely about the group. “That happened to you? Well, you better keep that quiet”! Why is drinking alcohol never talked about? Why is looking at pornography never talked about? Not because it is never an issue. It’s because it is uncomely. Not attractive. It’s easier just to attempt to ignore; avoid dealing with the tough, real issues. A worker in our area (a senior worker) was an alcoholic. He would spend years in prison for drunk driving. His uncle was the fabled West Coast overseer, who later was also found to be a child predator. It was rumored he was drinking alcohol in people homes. But it was only whispered. “He burned candles to camouflage the smell”, people would say with their hand to their mouth. Another worker in a gospel meeting talked of his ” failings” on the Internet. These aren’t just issues with the “world”, as the world is often talked about from the ” platform “. This is real issues with humans. And workers are human. No responsible parent would allow their daughters or sons to be anywhere near many workers, is another real issue. In the culture of the fellowship, real issues, however, will never be talked about, or matter. What is more important is the outside of the cup looking clean. Keep up the image. That is what matters!
Reposting from the AFT page:
Message from the mother of the victim:
We have just found out that the identity of the victim has now been leaked and is circulating. Please refrain from discussing her identity with anyone and please tell people to stop it if they are. There is a court order in place to protect the identity of the child and discussing her name could put you in breach of the court order.
We have had a very rough week and we hope desperately that our child does not ever read the article or have anyone question her. By reporting it to the police in the first place, we knew we risked this, but we did it with the hope of protecting others. We ask for your assistance in keeping her identity safe.
Whoever leaked her name is a monster. She’s a CHILD!! Her parents were right to do what they did, and I stand with them 100%.
He is very lucky this was not my daughter or one that I know. Very Lucky Indeed…………