Former B.C. teacher sentenced to jail time for sexually exploiting student
An investigation found that Chad Smith assaulted a student over a 2-year period
A former North Vancouver teacher who sexually exploited a student over a two-year period has been sentenced to time in prison.
Chad Jeremy Smith, 41, pleaded guilty to the charge last year. He was sentenced to 14 months in jail followed by two years' probation on Friday — only four months shy of the penalty Crown sought.
Smith was a teacher at Argyle Secondary School in North Vancouver for a decade before he was charged in 2015. He was arrested after RCMP found he'd assaulted a female student from October 2012 to December 2014.
Police said the exploitation charge applied to authority figures accused of assaulting a minor.
Lawyer says Smith 'remorseful'
At a sentencing hearing last month, Crown lawyer Ron Edwards said Smith should spend 16-18 months behind bars, followed by three years probation.
He said Smith didn't show any empathy towards his victim during a psychological exam, adding the case proves society needs to change the way it thinks about consent.
Smith's lawyer, Claire Hutcher, said her client should only serve six to nine months in jail, with a longer probation instead. She said Smith was "very remorseful" about his crime and unlikely to reoffend.
The victim's identity is protected by a publication ban.
Smith was suspended from the North Vancouver School District after his arrest. In May, he admitted to professional misconduct with the B.C. Teacher' Regulation Branch, and promised to never apply for a certificate of qualification again.