Former teacher Noel Strapp appeals sexual exploitation, sexual assault convictions

Former teacher Noel Strapp has appealed his conviction for sexually exploiting and sexually assaulting a teenage student he taught and coached.

Strapp's lawyer, Ian Patey, filed the appeal on Tuesday and has asked to have the convictions quashed and a new trial ordered.

Patey outlined five reasons for the appeal, most of which are concerned with Judge Phyllis Harris's consideration of evidence and challenge the victim's credibility. 

The appeal claims Harris failed to resolve inconsistencies in the victim's testimony, misunderstood or ignored evidence from the defence that would support Strapp's credibility and didn't provide adequate reasoning for the conclusions reached based on evidence provided by the victim.

Patey argues that the judge reviewed Strapp's evidence more strictly than the victim's, "such that the assessment of credibility as between [Strapp] and the complainant was unreasonable, uneven and unfair."

The appeal also makes reference to a sex tape, a video which the defence claims Harris failed to properly consider.

During the trial, the victim told the court she was sent a sex tape involving Strapp's now ex-wife. In his testimony, Strapp adamantly claimed there was no such tape. 

Strapp, 39, was found guilty in February and was sentenced in June to four years for sexual interference and two years for sexual assault, to be served concurrently.

During the trial, the former female student told the court that a sexual relationship between her and Strapp began when she was 16 and while he was her teacher and coach in several sports.

She told the court the two had about 100 sexual interactions. They happened while at school, at Strapp's home, in his children's rooms and in his car, she said.

The woman also told the court that while she was in grades 11 and 12, she and Strapp exchanged sexual pictures and videos using Snapchat, an app that deletes messages once they're read by the person receiving them. 

No date has been set to hear the appeal.

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