Joseph Sproull leaves King's Bench in Battleford. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battledordsNOW Staff)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

Sproull Wrap

Decision in child porn trial set for Nov. 27

Nov 1, 2024 | 11:55 AM

As his criminal trial in Battlefords Court of Kings Bench wrapped up yesterday, Joseph Sproull learned that it will be the end of the month before he knows if he has been convicted of creating and distributing child pornography and sexually assaulting children as young as 18-months old.

Sproull, age 43, had his trial start on Monday and wrapped up with his wife as the final witness to testify yesterday.

Elizabeth Sproull testified that it was a shock when officers from the ICE unit showed up at her door early in the morning in mid-July 2021.

“I opened the door and there were police there and I thought maybe something had happened,” she said.

Elizabeth soon learned differently, as officers instead told her they had a warrant to search her home.

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Instead of taking her daycare children on a field trip that morning, she woke her husband up early to tell him that the police were there.

Elizabeth was the last witness to take the stand as Joseph was tried on 11 criminal charges, ranging from creating and distributing child pornography and multiple counts of sexual assault and sexual interferences.

The victims were as young as 18 months old. Yesterday’s testimony revealed photos taken of very young children in physical, sexual contact with a man.

The parents of the children identified them to officers by marks on their bodies or their clothing.

Elizabeth told her husband’s lawyer that the children in her care were happy and that most of the kids she took care of didn’t want to leave when their parents came to pick them up.

When questioned as to whether she ever had an opportunity to see any interaction between her husband and the children that were ultimately found in the photos, Elizabeth said it was only on the periphery such as saying hello, encouraging children to eat or taking pictures at birthday parties and field trips.

She also said she would use Joseph’s phone, especially after hers broke, and she saw no evidence of child pornography on the device.

She said she saw adult pornography on the phone but no explicit photos of children.

The final question related to her feelings if she found out one or more children had been abused in her home.

“I would be devastated, those kids are my life,” she said, through tears. “The children meant the world to me.”

For the first time, Elizabeth was shown the evidence police had of the abuse that happened, It led to an intense exchange between herself and Crown Prosecutor Andrew Clement as she confirmed that she recognized the rooms and the clothing the children were wearing.

“I recognize it,” she said of the shirt one of the victims was wearing. She knew which child was wearing the shirt. Elizabeth also recognized the floor mat in the playroom.

“You see that floor mat, sort of multicoloured mat…at the top right side of the screen with the picture,” Clements asked. “Does that look like the floor mat that’s in your playroom?”

Elizabeth said it looked familiar.

“So, you would agree with me then that having seen some of those that it does look like there was abuse occurring in various parts of your home, correct?,” Clements asked.

She indicated she needed to hear the question again so Clements repeated himself.

“It looks familiar.”

Justice Grant Currie’s verdict will be heard on November 27.

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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