A Grade 8 trainer accused of a number of sexual offences involving college students could plead responsible earlier than the case ever goes to trial, an Ontario court docket has heard.
Kelly-Anne Jennings, who’s on unpaid depart from her job at St. Anthony Catholic Elementary College in Port Hope, Ont., faces 18 intercourse crime expenses, together with sexual assault on a boy beneath 14.
Jennings, 40, is accused of each making little one pornography and distributing sexually specific materials to a minor, based on court docket data. All offences are alleged to have occurred between June 2022 and April 2024 in Port Hope, a part of Northumberland County, east of Toronto.
At a quick listening to Wednesday morning in close by Cobourg, a paralegal representing Jennings’ lawyer, Dean Embry, advised court docket the defence crew and Crown prosecutors are in talks for the accused to enter a responsible plea.
It isn’t clear whether or not Jennings plans to plead responsible to all — or just some — of the fees, together with luring, sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching. The accused didn’t seem in court docket Wednesday and her lawyer didn’t reply to a request for remark.
4 minors — whose identities are coated by a publication ban — are named in court docket data as alleged victims. Police stated the accused communicated with the complainants over social media platforms together with Snapchat.
Jennings was first charged final August after investigators stated a male pupil advised his mom about inappropriate bodily contact with a trainer on a category journey. Police later stated three extra complainants had come ahead, which led to additional expenses.
Stephen O’Sullivan, director of schooling on the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District College Board, beforehand advised CBC that Jennings had been employed at St. Anthony since 2016. After her preliminary arrest, she was placed on administrative depart and prohibited from visiting board properties or interacting with college students, O’Sullivan stated.
“There was no change in her standing,” college board spokesperson Galen Eagle stated Wednesday. “She is going to stay on unpaid depart at some point of the court docket course of.”
A consultant for the Ontario Court docket of Justice in Cobourg stated she was unable to substantiate when the case would return to court docket.
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