Well-known theatre director pleads guilty to child porn charges

Sandy Thorburn, 49, of Toronto has been charged in a child pornography investigation involving teen girls at a Barrie hotel.

A well-known theatre director accused of luring teenaged girls has pleaded guilty to eight charges in an Orillia court.

Sandy Thorburn, 51, appeared in court on Tuesday, where he pleaded guilty to making child pornography, possession of child pornography, internet luring and exploitation of a person under 18.

Thorburn, who is a native of Toronto but has worked in theatre around the province, was arrested in 2013 at Barrie’s Monte Carlo Inn, where police say he was found with a 17-year-old girl.

Investigators say they were originally contacted by a mother who told officers that her teen daughter was approached to model lingerie over Facebook.

Police say Thorburn approached his teenaged victims online, using different names and pretending to be a photographer or model scout.

The OPP also say images that were found on Thorburn’s home computer qualified as child pornography.

Thorburn was originally charged with 25 offences.

Thorburn’s family was with him when he entered the plea Tuesday.

He is now back in police custody and will be sentenced on May 12.