A Toronto private school teacher is going to jail for two years after pleading guilty to sex-related offences involving two of his former students.
The teacher, who cannot be named because of a "rare" publication ban, was handcuffed in a Toronto courtroom on Monday, and appeared to mouth "Goodbye" to his wife and "I'm sorry" to the victim's families as he was escorted away.
In March, the 43-year-old teacher pleaded guilty to sexual interference, sexual exploitation and making child pornography.
He was also sentenced to three years of probation following the jail term. The Crown had asked for a three-year prison term. The defence argued for a 16-month sentence.
Ontario Justice James Chaffe said the teacher "inflicted profound harm" on two female students by maintaining "predatory" sexual relationships that included kissing and fondling as well as sexual photos and videos.
Through "careful and skilful" manipulation, Chaffe said, the teacher was able to exploit the two young teenagers, leaving them "forever changed" with feelings of "shame and guilt."
One of the victims was in the courtroom on Monday.
In his decision, Chaffe said the man occupied a "special of position of trust" as the girls' teacher, coach and tutor.
"He abused this position, this position of power, and harmed them instead for his sexual gratification."
The name of the Toronto private school where the teacher worked is also covered by the publication ban, which was issued in a preliminary hearing in order to protect the identities of the victims.
CBC Toronto and the Globe and Mail unsuccessfully challenged the order in March, arguing that it was too broad and unnecessary to protect the identity of the girls.
Lisa Taylor, a former lawyer and broadcaster who teaches media law at Ryerson University, says journalists are perfectly capable of protecting the identities of victims of crime, and the ban goes too far.
"That should be a newsroom decision and an exercise in journalism ethics, not a legal restriction on reporting information," Taylor said in an interview.
She added that it's particularly problematic in this case because the teacher has been not only charged, but convicted and sentenced. (more...)
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Protect the identity of the students? Impossible to hide. The real reason is the private school wants to protect its "reputation" and keep the money flowing in.
ReplyDeleteAbortion was legalized through legal sleight of hand. So will pedophilia.
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