Johnny Meeko's defence lawyer argues witness testimony 'implausible'
Closing arguments this week in case of Sanikiluaq teacher accused of sex abuse
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- Johnny Meeko was found guilty of some, but not all, of the 32 charges in December 2017.
Johnny Meeko's lawyer argued Tuesday that testimony from nine witnesses alleging a range of sexual assaults carried out by the former schoolteacher is not reliable and in some cases "highly implausible."
Meeko, 61, has pleaded not guilty to 32 sex-related charges including assault, sexual assault and sexual interference alleged to have been committed during his decades-long career at Nuiyak Elementary School in Sanikiluaq, Nunavut. He is being tried by a judge alone.
His defence lawyer James Morton presented his closing arguments in the Nunavut Court of Justice Tuesday in Iqaluit.
Morton said it's too dangerous for Justice Neil Sharkey to rely on the testimony by the nine witnesses because some of the allegations are from decades ago.
He said it's "highly implausible" that a teacher could touch his students sexually daily and in front of other students, such as one witness's allegation that Meeko lined girls up in front of the chalkboard in his classroom and touched their breasts.
He also said some witness testimony varied between the preliminary inquiry and the trial.
Morton argued Meeko is a traditional and religious man who was under duress when, after he was arrested, he confessed to police that he had sexually assaulted his students.
Crown lawyers Amy Porteous and Priscilla Ferrazzi will present their closing arguments on Wednesday.