Man Found Not Guilty of Child Porn After Ordering a Child-like Sex Doll to Replace His Dead Infant Son

A Newfoundland man was found not guilty today in a controversial child pornography trial that saw the man claim he wanted to replace his dead son with a four-foot-two sex doll named “Carol.”

Kenneth Harrisson, 57, of St. John’s, previously told the provincial court that he ordered the sex doll from a Japanese website selling childlike and adult sex dolls in 2013. The delivery was intercepted by the Canada Border Services Agency.

According to the CBC, the Crown could not prove beyond reasonable doubt that Harrison was guilty of child pornography, even though Crown attorney Bill Howse told the court that Harrisson's explanation of purchasing a female sex doll as a companion to replace his son “doesn’t make any sense.”

The Canadian Press previously reported that Harrisson testified that he bought Carol because of its “male-like” appearance to represent his son, who died more than two decades ago, at six months old. He told the court he wanted a doll that would best represent how old his son would be if he had grown up. In 2013, Harrisson’s son would have been 25 years old. He also said he googled “sex doll” to find his son’s replacement, but it did not occur to him to search “male sex doll.”

After the decision on Thursday morning, child safety advocate Linda Beaudoi asked Harrison’s defence lawyer, Bob Buckingham, if he was a “pedophile sympathizer,” to which he replied, according to the CBC, “Are you an asshole?”

Harrisson was charged with possessing child porn, mailing obscene matter and two federal Customs Act charges for smuggling and possession of prohibited goods. He was found not guilty on all counts.

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