Former B.C. teacher sentenced to jail time for sexually exploiting student

A former North Vancouver teacher who sexually exploiteda 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 decadebefore he was chargedin 2015. He was arrested after RCMP foundhe'd assaulteda female student from October 2012 to December 2014.

Police said the exploitation charge appliedto 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 yearsprobation.

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 shouldonly serve six to nine months in jail, with a longer probation instead. Shesaid Smith was "very remorseful" about his crime and unlikely toreoffend.

The victim's identity is protected by a publication ban.

Smith was suspended from the North Vancouver School District after his arrest. In May, headmitted to professional misconduct with the B.C. Teacher' Regulation Branch, and promised to never apply for a certificate of qualification again.