A former Vancouver private-school teacher who was caught with child porn has been sentenced to three months in jail.

Christopher Charles Ingvaldson, 43, pleaded guilty to one charge each of possessing and accessing child pornography. He was sentenced last month.

In the spring of 2010, Australian police investigating the use of the Internet in circulating child pornography came across a 14-member Facebook group called “Little Girls Love To Play Too.”

An undercover police officer sent a friend request to a group member named “Pedro Van,” who turned out to be Ingvaldson. He answered the friend request and wrote: “Please be discreet. You can message me. Enjoy what I have.” He made available 41 child-pornography images.

Vancouver police investigated and found that Ingvaldson was accessing the Internet in two locations: at St. George’s School, where he was a teacher, and at home. At work, he used a laptop provided by his employer.

Police analyzed Ingvaldson’s computers and found the 41 images involving images of prepubescent boys and girls, along with legal adult pornography.

“How and why Ingvaldson became involved in these matters is beyond understanding,” Judge William Kitchen of B.C. Provincial Court in Vancouver wrote in his reasons for judgment.

Through his lawyer, Ingvaldson told the court that his Internet use became compulsive and he eventually strayed beyond lawful pornography because he was searching for greater shock value.

Since his arrest, Ingvaldson has been treated for pornography and Internet addictions, complied with his bail conditions, attended counselling and developed insight into his actions, according to a presentence report.

He told his probation officer: “I didn’t think I was hurting anyone. Now I know.”

He later told his lawyer: “I contributed to the rape and torture of children in my own way and that is tough to live with.”

Prosecutors sought a six-month sentence, followed by two years of probation, while the defence asked for the mandatory minimum jail sentence of 45 days.

Kitchen said the mandatory minimum sentence did not address the seriousness of Ingvaldson’s offences.

“The images were extremely serious,” Kitchen said.

“Ingvaldson provided them for others to access on the Internet and was aware that was being done. He was in a special position in society as a school teacher and his behaviour was particularly upsetting to his colleagues and students.”

Kitchen imposed a three-month sentence, followed by two years of probation.

Conditions of probation include not being employed or volunteering in any capacity that involves being in a position of trust over a person under the age 16, not using a computer for communicating with a person under 16, not possessing more than one computer system or device that can access the Internet, allowing inspection of that device and attending counselling as directed.

Ingvaldson will be registered for 10 years under the Sexual Offender Information Registry Act.

For five years, he will also be prohibited from attending areas where persons under 16 can be reasonably expected to be present, except while in the presence of someone over 21; being employed or volunteering where he is in a position of trust or authority toward a person under 16; and using a computer to communicate with someone under 16, other than his nieces and nephews.

Kitchen pointed out that the consequences for Ingvaldson have been considerable.

The offences drew media attention and embarrassed his school, colleagues and students. He lost friends and relationships, including his marriage.

Ingvaldson also lost his career. According to the B.C. Teacher Regulation Branch website, Ingvaldson’s teaching certificate is invalid and he’s not authorized to practise in B.C. He has been suspended since July 5, 2010, pending disciplinary proceedings.

Ingvaldson told the court before sentencing: “I have lost many things since being arrested in June 2010 — a marriage, a career that I loved, numerous friendships, respect in the community at large.”