A former teacher-on-call in Whitehorse, Yukon, receives a suspended sentence on a firearms charge following the withdrawal of a child pornography accusation. Andrew Cook, 39, faces three years of probation with strict conditions after pleading guilty in Yukon Territorial Court.
Court Appearance and Charges
Cook appeared via video for his disposition. Prosecutors dropped the child pornography possession charge from late 2023, leaving only the count of possessing restricted firearm magazines. He entered a guilty plea to that single firearms offense.
Probation Conditions
Justice Katherine McLeod approves the joint recommendation from prosecution and defense. Key terms include:
- No firearm possession except as required by an employer.
- Prohibition on contacting anyone under 16.
- Ban on positions of trust involving minors under 16.
- Restricted access to places like parks, daycares, and pools without written permission and adult supervision.
- Mandatory counseling attendance.
- DNA sample submission to authorities.
Incident Details
In October 2023, Cook hands an older iPhone to an acquaintance with a broken phone. The recipient’s partner discovers images of females appearing under 18 and alerts police. Authorities classify 25 photos as child pornography, launching an Internet Child Exploitation probe.
Police arrest Cook at Whitehorse airport upon his return from travel on December 24, 2023. A home search yields six prohibited firearm magazines.
Defense and Prosecution Insights
Defence counsel Trevor Martin notes no concerning material on Cook’s other devices. The magazines, inherited from an RCMP officer’s widow, can be modified for legal capacity, given Cook’s firearms expertise and prior RCMP collaboration.
Cook relocates to Ontario post-charging, after police warnings of potential vigilante threats.
Crown counsel Kathryn Laurie explains months of negotiations led to the resolution, citing case deficiencies, reasonable conviction prospects, public interest, and Cook’s low reoffending risk.
Justice McLeod praises the agreement as a “creative solution,” highlighting proof burdens beyond reasonable doubt after pretrial discussions.
Martin states his client welcomes closure: “These charges and publicity severely impacted him. Mr. Cook maintains an upstanding character, cooperated fully, and anticipates moving forward.”
