Former student testifies against high school teacher in ongoing sex offence trial in Windsor
Warning: Graphic content
Ryan Turgeon, 39, has pleaded not guilty to eight charges against two complainants.
The charges include making sexually explicit material available to a minor, sexual exploitation, possessing, accessing and making child pornography, and communicating with a minor to facilitate a criminal act.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
The first complainant (C1) on the indictment testified for the 14-person jury Friday.
A standard, court-ordered publication ban protects the complainant’s identity and the media cannot report any evidence that might identify the complainant.
“I was trying to figure out if I was gay, straight,” the man told the jury when Turgeon was teaching him in Grade 11. “I brought it up to Turgeon’s attention because I was comfortable with Turgeon.”
C1 said Turgeon offered to help him “experiment” during a private conversation, “He was pretty much offering to show sex activities,” C1 testified.
He told the jury he brushed the conversation off because he was “uncomfortable” but admitted he remained “close” with the teacher.
C1 alleges Turgeon also sent him sexually explicit images and videos during his time in high school.
In Grade 12, C1 accuses Turgeon of propositioning him to conduct a sex act with another student, C2.
While he did admit it was “abnormal” behaviour for a teacher, C1 told he jury, “I just kind of kept it to myself.”
He didn’t think anyone would believe him, in part, because the conversations disappeared after being read or seen because they communicated on Snapchat.
The defence perspective
Defence lawyer Dean Embry once again highlighted discrepancies between the complainants testimony at trial versus pre-trial court appearances or the statement to police in March 2021.
For instance, Embry said C1 told police the conversation about experimenting with his sexuality happened in Grade 12 but testified that it was in Grade 11.
C1 also made an error in his testimony about when their Grade 12 class trip was; he said it was in the fall of 2018, when in actuality it would have been the spring of 2018.
Embry further argued C1 is misinterpreting a message sent by Turgeon to his student.
“You know what we talked about stays with us,” Turgeon wrote.
C1 believed that to be Turgeon’s way of telling his student not to tell anyone about their conversations.
Embry believes it’s his clients way of saying C1’s sexuality was a secret his teacher would keep.
The defence is arguing all “sexually explicit” conversations, videos, and pictures didn’t occur until after C1 graduated high school and turned 18 years of age.
The trial is scheduled to continue Monday, but only until 1:00 p.m. because of the solar eclipse.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
Province boots mayor and council in small northern Ont. town out of office
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.
3 law officers serving warrant are killed, 5 wounded in shootout at North Carolina home, police say
Three officers on a U.S. Marshals Task Force serving a warrant for a felon wanted for possessing a firearm were killed and five other officers were wounded in a shootout Monday at a North Carolina home, police said.
'Shocked and concerned': Calgary principal charged with possession of child pornography
A Calgary elementary school principal has been charged with possession of child pornography, authorities announced Monday.
Health authority confirms cockroaches at B.C. hospital, insists they 'do not bite'
The Vancouver Island Health Authority is downplaying what staff describe as a cockroach infestation in a medical unit of Saanich Peninsula Hospital.
Toronto police arrest 12 people, lay 102 charges in major credit card fraud scheme
Toronto police say 12 people are facing a combined 102 charges in connection with an investigation into a major credit fraud scheme.
Winner of US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot is an immigrant from Laos who has cancer
One of the winners of a historic US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot last month is an immigrant from Laos who has had cancer for eight years and had his latest chemotherapy treatment last week.
Britney and Jamie Spears settlement avoids long, potentially ugly and revealing trial
Britney Spears and her father Jamie Spears will avoid what could have been a long, ugly and revealing trial with a settlement of the lingering issues in the court conservatorship that controlled her life and financial decisions for nearly 14 years.
WATCH 'Double whammy': What happens if you don't file your taxes by the deadline
The clock is ticking ahead of the deadline to file a 2023 income tax return. A personal finance expert explains why you should get them done -- even if you owe more than you can pay.