Tougher laws for Internet sex offenders

OTTAWA, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Canada's Supreme Court Thursday ordered a new trial of an Edmonton man who allegedly tried to lure a young girl using the Internet.

A 7-0 majority dismissed the appeal by Bartholomew Legare, who claimed he was not breaking the country's Internet luring law by having sex chats with a young girl. The Alberta Court of Appeal had overturned a trial judge's finding that the man needed to have more than "an intimate conversation" with the girl to be convicted, Canwest News Service reported.

The Globe and Mail said the Supreme Court's decision will make it easier to prosecute suspects who use the Internet to try to lure children for sex.

Legare allegedly tried to lure a 12-year-old girl in 2003, telling her he was 17 instead of 32.