Teen testifies at trial of Regina high school teacher charged with sexual offences
Adam Hunter | CBC News | Posted: June 26, 2024 12:15 AM | Last Updated: June 26
Jeffrey Dumba, 52, charged with sexual offences involving student
WARNING: This story contains distressing details.
The teen girl who was allegedly exchanging nude photos and videos with a high school teacher testified at Regina's Court of King's Bench on Tuesday.
Jeffrey Dumba, 52, is facing five charges related to sexual offences involving the 15-year-old student dating back to 2021.
Dumba is charged with inviting a minor to touch herself sexually, distributing sexually explicit material to a minor and possessing child pornography.
He was arrested on Sept. 3, 2021.
The identity of the teen is subject to a publication ban.
Court hears about Snapchat, text messages
On Tuesday afternoon, the girl took the witness stand and the court watched a portion of her police interview from Sept. 2, 2021.
In the video, she told an officer about how her messaging relationship with Dumba began and eventually led to an exchange of explicit photos and videos.
She told police her interactions with him started on the final day of school in the spring of 2021, when Dumba hugged her in the hallway and said, "I can tell we're going to be good friends one day."
She said that summer, she added him on Snapchat but told police she did not know it was him. The teen said her real name was on her Snapchat account but his was not.
She said a few weeks later he added her and she sent him a selfie, then a picture with clothing, and then pictures in a bikini.
She said Dumba told her that her body was "amazing."
"He knew that I was in high school."
Photos exchanged, teen told police
The teen said from there, the messaging became more sexual and transitioned from Snapchat to text messages. She told police that he identified himself as "Mr. Dumba" and sent her a selfie.
She told police he told her "a line has already been crossed so f--k it."
She said Dumba asked to see her genitalia. She then took a photo exposing herself in underwear. She told police Dumba sent her a picture of his penis.
She said Dumba was texting about how he "wanted to have sex with me."
The teen said after certain exchanges Dumba would express regret or say he was under the influence of substances.
She told police that on July 15, Dumba asked her to come over, but she didn't. She said the messages stopped.
New school year
The girl told police the messages picked up again right before school started. She said Dumba told her he was in a "happy relationship."
She told police she was "terrified" to see him at school but ended up talking to him, and she said Dumba helped her open her locker. The girl said they never discussed the messages exchanged over the summer.
She said she talked to him again on Sept. 2, 2021 — earlier on the same day as the police statement — this time in his classroom with the door open. She said Dumba told her she "looked nice."
In the video, after the officer left the room, the girl and her mother spoke.
The mother said, "(Dumba) ruined his own life."
"You sent a picture of your face and your name was on your account. He lied to you when he pretended he didn't know you," the mother told her daughter. "He knew who you were."
Mother testifies
Earlier on Tuesday, the girl's mother testified at the trial.
She described a fractious relationship between her and her daughter, calling it "non-existent."
During questioning by the Crown, she told the court she had never met Dumba and was not aware her teen was talking to him.
On Monday, the court heard police found photos of a vagina with a comforter visible in the photo.
On Tuesday, the girl's mother was shown a portion of the photo with only the blanket showing and confirmed that she had purchased the blanket.
During cross-examination, the mother said she was "hesitant" to attend court. She said in the months before the charges, her daughter mentioned she talked to Dumba at school, mentioned he had tattoos and that some of the girls considered him "hot."
She said her daughter showed her Dumba's Instagram account, which had a slightly altered version of his name.
The mother said her daughter disclosed that she and Dumba had shared a hug at the school.
The trial, which is scheduled to last a week, continues Wednesday, when the teen will continue to be on the witness stand.