Judge sets date for decision in sexual exploitation trial of former teacher

WARNING: This story contains graphic sexual content

Lawyers made their closing arguments Tuesday at the trial of a former high school music teacher accused of sexually exploiting one of his students in the 1990s.

Roger Jabbour, 65, faces two charges of sexual exploitation involving a female student he taught at Colonel Gray High School in Charlottetown. 

Defence lawyer Joel Pink asked the judge to refer to the five letters the defence submitted as evidence during the trial — letters he said raise questions about the complainant's credibility.

"I believe these letters create a reasonable doubt when considering the evidence," Pink told the judge. 

Letters submitted as evidence

Last week, the woman testified that Jabbour would call her into his office several times a week and that during these meetings, he would kiss her and that he exposed himself to her and asked her to touch him. She said he masturbated in front of her on at least one occasion. Jabbour told the court this never happened. 

The complainant testified that she had confronted Jabbour, telling him she never wanted to see or speak to him again, and ended the relationship around the time she graduated.

Tuesday, Pink pointed out the former student wrote the letters up to three years after she graduated and signed some of them with "hugs and kisses."

"When you compare these letters to what she stated under oath about her fear and never wanting to see Mr. Jabbour again," Pink said, "I submit that this is nothing but a fabrication on her part." 

Crown says letters support witness testimony

Crown attorney Valerie Moore urged the court to consider the context in which the letters were written, and the other evidence that was submitted throughout the trial.

"The court cannot consider any piece of evidence in isolation. It's the totality that has to have the measure of reasonable doubt applied to it," said Moore.

Moore criticized the defence's focus on the letters as stereotyping victims of sexual offences.

"There is no right way to act when you're sexually abused in high school by one of your most important teachers," Moore told the court. 

Moore asked the judge to consider that Jabbour was in a position of authority over the teenager at the time of the alleged offences and to consider that they were written when the woman was a teenager.

"Considering the letters and her testimony in court, the court must realize that it took her years to realize that she was not responsible for what Roger Jabbour did to her," Moore said. 

Moore went on to tell the court that the letters submitted by the defence do not diminish the woman's credibility — but instead they support her testimony.

"They support her close personal relationship with the accused while he was her teacher, they support the kind of person she is, they support the testimony," Moore said. "They are not inconsistent with it despite what the defence argues." 

She also said the letters weren't love letters and were superficial, referring to school and his family.

Judge Nancy Orr said she will consider the evidence presented throughout the trial. 

She will give her decision on Nov. 2.

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