Former high school youth worker sentenced for sexually assaulting student

Arthur Francis McGuigan has been sentenced to 90 days in jail for sexually assaulting aBluefield High School student in 2009. He was ayouth worker at the school at the time.

McGuigan, 64, pleaded guilty tosexual assault. At the timeof the alleged offencehe was 54 and the student was 17.

The court heardMcGuigan wasdriving the girl to an appointment, as part of his job as a youth worker. He took her to an empty room in a building used for group counselling meetings, where they smoked marijuana and had a sexual encounter.

Through a victim impact statement she read out loud in court,thewoman saidthe incident happened after months ofgrooming and manipulation.She said she's struggled with addiction and mental health issues since she was a child and McGuigan took advantage of that.

'Felt like a game of chess'

The woman told the court she and McGuiganbondedover music, that she would confide in him and thathe gained her trust.

"When I look back to those times now I literally feel sick to my stomach," she said.

The womansaid after the assault she struggled to keep a job and a relationshipdue to periodsof depression. She said after the assault shebegan abusingdrugs and alcohol again, and that she continues to suffer panic attacks andflashbacks.

But she told the court Tuesdayshe's proud of what she hasaccomplished since then, like completing her education and regainingher sobriety.

"My whole encounter with Arthur McGuigan has felt like a game of chess," she told the court. "I'd like to state before the court today that I've won, checkmate."

Second sexual conviction

A chargeof sexual exploitation and a charge of possession of marijuana with the intent of trafficking against McGuigan werestayed.

Crown attorneyGerald Quinn and defence attorney Brendan Hubleypresented the judge with a joint recommendation for sentencing of three months followed by one year of probation. When handing down his decision, Justice Gregory Cannsaid he took McGuigan's guilty plea into consideration as well as the statement from the former student and felt therecommended sentence was appropriate.

After the sentencingthe woman told CBC she was satisified with the judge's decision and glad to have the opportunity to address the court to help people understand the impactof these types of crimes.

McGuiganison parole for another similar conviction five years ago. In 2014 he pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation and drug trafficking involving another female student, stemming fromincidents in August 2013. He was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison.

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