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'Swirlface' released from jail

A man who led international law enforcement on a chase over child pornography crimes is out of prison and is expected to move to Vancouver.

Christopher Neil, 42, also known as 'Swirlface' after he attempted to digitally obscure his face in child pornography images, has been labelled a high-risk sex offender by BC Corrections, which put out a public notification on Neil's past.

Neil was convicted of sex crimes that took place in Cambodia and child pornography offences in Canada, receiving a five-and-a-half year sentence from a B.C. judge last June.

That multi-year sentence turned into 14 months with credit for time served prior to his conviction, but Neil is being released only having served 10 months.

Neil was the subject of an international manhunt after pictures of a man abusing two young boys sexually. In those images, the man's face had been altered, leading to the name 'Swirlface'.

German police touched up the photos, leading the manhunt to Thailand, where Neil was arrested. Thai police charged him with child sex offences, and he served several years in prison there, before his 2012 release to Canada.

In Vancouver International Airport, Neil was arrested once again, charged under the Canadian Criminal Code.

Neil is under a court order not to be in contact with anyone under 16, not to attend any location where children under 16 may be reasonably expected to be present and not to be in possession of any device with access to the internet.

The Vancouver Police Department says Neil will be closely monitored.

–with files from CTV Vancouver



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