The gym teacher accused of having sex hundreds of times with a student over two years when he was 15 broke down as she told a court the allegations have ruined her life. Continue reading after the jump.
Tania Pontbriand, 40, from Quebec, denies having sex with the student between 2002 and 2004, when she was a teacher at Rosemère High School.
Her defence team are trying to get all charges dropped, claiming it has taken too long to bring the case to trial as she was arrested in 2008 when the alleged victim came forward.
Her testimony on Wednesday – in which she shook, broke down and hyperventilated – centred on the effect the charges have had on her career as a high school teacher.
She told the St Jerome court: ‘I have completely lost my reputation,. Everybody knows me. They talk about me in social media around the world.
‘It’s saddening when my son asks me if he can go to his friend’s house and I tell him, “Not now”.
‘I’m afraid of the parents finding out who I am through the media and they’ll stop allowing to let him play with my son at school.’
The 40-year-old hyperventilated, after only a few minutes of testimony and had to take a 40 minute break to compose herself.
The alleged victim told police that Pontbriand had sex with him between 200 and 300 times when he was between 15 and 17 years old.
Her position of authority over him means he was legally unable to consent to the relationship.
A report by the local school board found that the teacher took advantage of the boy’s vulnerability since he was emotionally fragile and possibly suicidal at the time, according to the Toronto Sun.
The 40-year-old was said to have taken the boy on camping trips to try to bond with him and this is when the alleged sex had place.
At the centre of the trial is forensic evidence as her DNA was said to be found in the boy’s sleeping bag
Breaking down in tears on the witness stand, Pontbriand said the trial caused her to miss her five-year-old child’s first day of kindergarten.
She also has a three-year-old.
Her lawyer, Hanan Mrani, asked Judge Francois Beaudoin for a stay of proceedings because 37 months have passed since Pontbriand’s arrest, according to the Toronto Sun.
The judge will rule today on whether or not to throw out the trial.
