Trial for former Moncton teacher accused of 2 dozen sex-crimes set for 2025

WARNING: This story contains details of a graphic nature  

A former New Brunswick teacher who allegedly sexually abused students over several decades will stand trial in early 2025.

Trial dates for Paul J. Maillet, who taught at École Champlain elementary school in Moncton, were set Tuesday in the Court of King's Bench for more than two dozen charges. Four weeks have been set aside for the judge and jury trial beginning on Jan. 6, 2025.

The charges against Maillet, 77, of Notre-Dame, include gross indecency, indecent assault, buggery, possessing child pornography, sexually touching a minor, sexual assault, distributing an obscene photo, and exposing his genitals.

The charges allege offences in the 1960s, '70s, '80s, '90s, 2003 and 2022 and involve more than a dozen victims.

Maillet was already scheduled to be tried by a jury on four charges in September.

Justice Robert Dysart on Tuesday noted the first proposed trial dates were in October 2024. However, the court heard that Maillet's lawyer, Gilles Lemieux, wouldn't be available at that time. 

A 2016 Supreme Court of Canada decision set time limits for cases to proceed through court. Trials in the Court of King's Bench must conclude within 30 months of charges being laid. However, delays caused by the defence don't count toward the ceiling.

Maillet, who wasn't present in court, was represented by lawyer Alison Ménard. 

Ménard told the judge that the delay would be attributable for the defence and therefore could not be used to argue for an unreasonable delay.