Bail denied for former Alberta Party candidate convicted on child porn charges

A former candidate for the leadership of the Alberta Party, found guilty on child porn charges,has been denied bail leading up to his sentencing hearing later this month.

In April, a jury convicted Troy Millington, 45, of making child pornography available to others on the internet, as well as possessing and accessing such material.

• Former Alberta Party candidate Troy Millington found guilty of child porn offences

On Friday, Millington,who is representing himself, applied for bail in order to better conduct research to prepare for his sentencing submissions on May 25.

Computer problems

Millington said although he's been given access to a computer at the Calgary Remand Centre that can only access the CanLii website(an online resource for previous cases and decisions), the search function isn't working,making it difficult for him to review the cases applicable to his sentencing.

"The search function does not work. It's like using the internet without Google. Multiple officers came into the cell in disbelief," he said.

Millington said another issue he's facing is, despite having access to a computer, there are times when it's not available to him the roomis also used for other purposes.

"I have sporadic access," he said. "Often my choices are to use the bathroom or use the computer, or to eat or use the computer."

Access to legal materials limited

Further, Millington said although he can use a pen and paper while accessing the computer, when he returns to his cell it's all taken away.

Millington also told the court that he was afraid for his safety in the remand centre.

"The ability to respond to the Crown prosecutor and respond to the court is contingent on me being safe, not brain dead, not dead," he said. "And that seems to be in play in my current circumstance."

Millington suggested to the court that multiple threats against his life had been made while in custody.

"Just now in this building, one person made it very clear about what he thought of me and how he thought I should be dealt with," he said.

Bail denied

But, despite Millington's arguments, Court of Queen's Bench Justice Kim Nixon denied bail.

Instead, Nixon ordered the Crown to draftorders that would allow Millington a minimum of five hours per week on the computer, deliver to him electronicand hard copies of all applicable Alberta cases from 2005 to present, and access to his notes and legal materials from the trial.

During his trial, Millington told the jury thathe downloaded the child porn in an attempt to build a computer program to prevent its spread online.

Police found thousands of images and videos of child pornography on Millington's home computer equipment.

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