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The right choice is obvious. $89PER MONTHFOR 12 MONTHSREGULAR PRICE:$163.49 PER MONTH •ULTRAFIBRE 40 INTERNET •MY MIX 10 TV WITH 4K PVR •HOME PHONE Visit cogeco.ca/obviouschoice Victor Ly was a parent's nightmare, a teacher who preyed on children for his sexual pleasure, cajoling and extorting young girls into posing online and sending him explicit pho- tographs and videos. Over more than a year the Kitchener man - a for- mer supply teacher in Hal- ton - contacted at least 171 girls through the Snap- chat messaging app, often pretending to be a teen boy. Some were students he taught. The victims ranged in age from seven to 15. Ly of- ten sent them videos of him ejaculating. He asked some to simulate sexual acts. He stole their inno- cence, threatened some, terrorized some, and left them feeling violated, iso- lated, ashamed and sad, a court in Kitchener was told. For these crimes he was sentenced Friday to five years in prison. The moth- er of a 12-year-old victim says that's not long enough to deter others. "I definitely don't think the message was sent," she said outside a Kitchener courtroom. "This is wrong. This is not al- lowed. This is our children ... "As a parent, you should be able to protect your children from this. And you can't." Her advice is to be open with your children. "What I have learned from this whole thing is, I go home every night and I tell her everything ... I think she needs to know that, and I think our kids need to know what's out there." Ly, 33, pleaded guilty to 20 charges involving 15 victims. The charges he was convicted on include making child pornogra- phy, invitation to sexual touching, extortion and luring. Ly spoke to one girl about meeting in a mall washroom but the meet- ing never took place. "I'm so ashamed of what I've done," he said on admitting his guilt. Ly began his crimes in the fall of 2016. He was working as a supply teach- er at the Halton District School Board, after teach- ing at a private school in Waterloo Region. He is noWaterloo Region. He is noW longer a teacher. "Parents and children need to feel safe from pred- ators like Mr. Ly," Judge Wayne Rabley said, call-Wayne Rabley said, call-W ing his crimes "hideous." The prosecutor sought nine years in prison. The judge said that would be unprecedented. Ly's de- fence lawyer sought threefence lawyer sought threef years. The judge accepted that Ly is remorseful, that he spared his victims from testifying by pleading guilty and that he may turn his life around. Ly is supported by friends and family. Hisfriends and family. Hisf wife has been by his side in court. "Many of those who know him best do not con- done, but have forgiven him for what he has done," Rabley said. The judge banned Ly from crafting a social me-from crafting a social me-f dia profile for 10 years af- ter his prison sentence ends, and forbid him from being alone with children, subject to conditions. "You'll have to work hard" to rehabilitate your- self, Rabley told Ly. "Please don't stray from that course." FORMER HALTON SUPPLY TEACHER GETS FIVE YEARS IN JAIL FOR USING SNAPCHAT TO PREY ON GIRLS JEFF OUTHIT jouthit@therecord.com LOCAL Acclaim Health is set to kick off the spring instal- ment of its Dementia Infor- mation Series next month. The series, said Acclaim Health Alzheimer services caregiver education co-or- dinator Vinitha Nair, "is an excellent tool for family members who have just re- ceived a diagnosis of de- mentia and Alzheimer's disease." This free, eight-week ed- ucational program will as- sist participants better un- derstand the disease and plan for the future. It will feature guest speakers andfeature guest speakers andf subject experts, who will offer a wealth of informa- tion on community re- sources as well as tips on how to navigate the system to access these resources. Caregivers will also benefit from learning communica-from learning communica-f tion strategies and how to improve their coping skills. Specific topics covered during the series include an introduction to demen- tia and Alzheimer's dis- ease; understanding changes in behaviour; com- municating with persons with dementia; community support services; informa- tion on tax programs; safe- ty in the home and commu- nity; planning for the fu- ture: long-term care homes; and care for the caregiver: coping strate- gies. The series kicks off April 3 and runs Wednes- days until May 22. The ses- sions take place at Acclaim Health's Burlington loca- tion, at 2180 Itabashi Way, from 7 to 9 p.m. The pro-from 7 to 9 p.m. The pro-f gram is free and limited to family caregivers. Regis-family caregivers. Regis-f tration is mandatory. To register, visit www.ac- claimhealth.ca or contact Nair at 905-847-9559, ext. 2411. SIGN UP FOR DEMENTIA INFO SERIES FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS NEWS