Two men from British Columbia in their 80s have been sentenced to prison for sexual offenses involving children. One is a former elementary school teacher, and the other was found with a vast collection of child pornography. Last week, an 85-year-old man, Brian Melicke Moore, received an eight-year federal prison sentence in Vancouver. He was convicted of sexually interfering with 12 boys between 1976 and 1982. Despite his defense attorney's request for a conditional sentence allowing him to serve time at a long-term care facility, the judge denied the plea. In a separate case, 82-year-old William Lee Tate was sentenced in October to two years less a day in prison. Police discovered he possessed over 60,000 images and videos depicting the violent sexual abuse of prepubescent girls, including infants. Moore was a well-liked Grade 6 teacher in North Vancouver during the 1970s. He often took male students on outings, including swimming and skiing. Judge Robert Hamilton noted that some boys, with parental consent, spent weekends with Moore, where they were subjected to his insistence on nudity. The judge described how Moore would sleep naked with the boys and touch them inappropriately. Moore retired in 1982 after three victims reported his actions. Although police investigated in 1988, they did not have enough evidence to charge him. It wasn't until June 2022 that two more victims came forward, leading to renewed investigations and charges against Moore. After a 31-day trial, he was found guilty on multiple counts of sexual interference and touching. In sentencing, Judge Hamilton considered Moore's declining health, which includes heart disease and late-stage kidney failure. His defense argued for a conditional sentence due to his age and health issues. However, the judge emphasized the need for a strong sentence to deter similar offenses. He stated, "Other like-minded adults who sexually offend against a child must know that they will receive a significant jail sentence if they are caught." Moore is also facing three civil lawsuits related to his offenses. In Tate's case, the investigation began in October 2019 when authorities were alerted to an IP address linked to him sharing child sexual abuse material. Justice Gareth Morley noted that this IP address was among the top 10 uploaders of child pornography in the Greater Victoria area. When police searched Tate's home in February 2022, they found a staggering collection of images and videos totaling over 5,700 hours of content. The judge described the material as showing "human nature at its cruellest and most malevolent directed against the most vulnerable." Tate pleaded guilty to charges of possessing and transmitting child pornography. His lawyer sought a conditional sentence, but the judge ruled against it, citing the severity of the offenses. Morley stated that while Tate's age and guilty plea were mitigating factors, the nature of his collection was a significant aggravating factor. Tate received an 18-month sentence for possession and two years less a day for transmission, to be served concurrently, which means he will not serve time in federal prison.