Canada sex tourism law faces test

The law has not yet been used in Canada

Canada's so-called sex tourism law faces its first test in the case of a British Colombia man accused of sexually abusing children abroad.

Donald Bakker, 40, pleaded not guilty at a pre-trial hearing to 28 charges of sexual assault, 16 of which were allegedly against children abroad.

Police say they found a number of videotapes in Mr Bakker's home which allegedly contained scenes of abuse.

Mr Bakker's lawyer says the 1997 legislation is unconstitutional.

Kevin McCullough said he would challenge the law if the case went to trial.

"When Canada starts to say it can police other countries in any form, in my view that sets off a problem in international relations... and it offends the way Canada ought to be behaving," he told the CBC.

Mr Bakker, a hotel worker, was first charged in relation to 12 cases of assault and torture against prostitutes in Vancouver.

Police discovered the videotapes while searching his home after his arrest in a public park last December.

At the time, police said he had tortured his victims and allegedly videotaped the assaults.

The name of the country cannot be named for legal reasons.

Pre-trial hearings are scheduled to take five weeks.