Former teacher’s sex assault trial starts

The trial of a former Beamsville High School teacher accused of sexually assaulting a student in the school and elsewhere began in St. Catharines this week.

Robert St. Louis has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching.

He is accused of sexual offences between 2008 and 2010 involving the former female student, beginning when she was 14 and he was 46.

Assistant Crown attorney Larry Brock outlined the crown’s case for the court on Monday in the Superior Court of Justice in St. Catharines. He said the relationship began in fall 2008 when the student wanted to use the weight room Louis was in charge of at the school.

The Crown alleges the student would go to St. Louis’ class before and after school and talk to him about various things and he in turn shared personal details about his family. The student viewed him as a mentor.  (more...)

Former teacher’s sex assault trial starts