Dad, retired teacher convicted of physically, sexually molesting his two children (Manitoba, Canada)

UNNAMED DAD has been convicted of physically abusing and molesting his two children for years. The Crown is seeking an 8-year prison sentence. The scary part is that this guy was employed as a teacher during the time period in which he was abusing his own kids.

http://www.vancouversun.com/Manitoba+teacher+molested+children+should+jailed+Crown/2617353/story.html

Manitoba teacher who molested own children should be jailed: Crown

By Mike McIntyre , Winnipeg Free PressFebruary 26, 2010 9:03 AM

WINNIPEG — The Crown is seeking an eight-year prison term for a retired Manitoba high school teacher convicted of physically and sexually abusing his own children for years.

The 68-year-old man — who can't be named to protect the identity of his victims — will learn his fate at a sentencing hearing next month after being quietly convicted earlier this winter.

All of his crimes occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s on two Manitoba native reserves but weren't revealed until one of his children went to the RCMP in 2002.

The girl, then 16, said she feared her father may have given her AIDS. Tests later proved to be negative.

Court of Queen's Bench Justice Colleen Suche found the man guilty of sexually abusing the girl between 1989 and 1993, beginning when she was three years old.

He was also convicted of repeatedly assaulting her and her brother during the same period, beginning when he was five years old. The incidents involved beatings and spankings.

The man has two other older boys who claimed they were never assaulted and actually supported their father at trial. However, several former teachers, neighbours and child-welfare officials testified that all four children have displayed extreme "sexualized behaviour" throughout their lives, which included inappropriate incidents toward other children at school and in the community.

They list a number of disturbing incidents including graphic drawings, sexually explicit language, exposing their genitals in the classroom, masturbating in public, as well as frequently running around their home and yard naked.

All of this was occurring while the father was employed as a teacher.

His professional career began in 1976. He married the sister of one of his former students. The couple had four children but their relationship was dysfunctional. The mother was deemed to be extremely "low functioning" and battled alcohol abuse, which often took her out of the home for long periods, court was told.

Police finally laid charges in 2005 following a lengthy investigation. The case dragged through the courts before finally going to trial in 2008. It was adjourned on several occasions, finally concluding last November.

"This was an enormously complex and difficult case," said the judge. She noted how conflicted the man's children were over their testimony against him, with his now 23-year-old daughter often waving and smiling at her father in court while giving damning evidence against him.

"She began her evidence by saying she 'came to tell the truth and get this over with so I can forgive my father,' " the judge said in her written verdict. She rejected the accused's testimony, saying he "lacked credibility" and appeared to have tried to influence his children to change their stories by writing them several letters since his arrest.

The man's lawyers claim the 33 months he has already spent behind bars is more than enough of a penalty and are seeking his immediate release from jail.