Former school teacher faces second trial on sexual touching of former student

Warning: This story contains graphic sexual content

A former high school student testified in court Friday that her band teacher kissed her regularly, and directed her to touch him sexually several times.

RogerJabbour, 65, is on trial ontwo charges of sexual exploitation involving hisformer student that date back to the1990swhenshe attendedColonelGrayHigh School in Charlottetown.

The woman who is now in her40swas the only witness to testify at the trial ofJabbour.Her identity is protected by a court-ordered publication ban.

This is Jabbour'ssecond trial on sex-related charges involving former students.

Last week he was found guilty of three charges related to sexual touching involving three former students from 2012 to 2015. He has not been sentenced on those charges yet.

• High school teacher Roger Jabbour pleads not guilty to sex-related charges

• Former teacher Jabbour found guilty of sexual touching charges, not guilty of sexual assault

The former student from the early 1990s testified Friday that Jabbourused to call her into his office at the school several times a week.

At first, she said, he talked about his private life and about other students, and she became his confidante.

However, she told court, this progressed over time, to Jabbourcaressing her neck, arms, shoulders and back and kissing her on the head, neck and lips.

I felt very unsafe.- Former student of Roger Jabbour

"I do remember his tongue in my mouth," she testified. She said she met with him about four times a week in his office with the door lockedmainly after school.

"I felt very unsafe. It was a very awkward situation because at that point there was an inappropriate sexual relationship happening."

Jabbour exposed himself to her,she told court, placed her hand on his penis, and explained how to masturbate. She also testifiedhe masturbated in front of her on at least one occasion.

'I never felt like I was able to reject his advances'

The woman said on at least half a dozen occasions, Jabbour asked her to meet him in the evening and they drovearound in his car.

"Inever felt like I was able to reject his advances," she testified, as she feared retribution and shaming her family.

She said Jabbourhad a temper and was known to demean students who didn't meet his expectations, throwing his baton, or knocking over music stands or chairs during band practice.

"I felt afraid and I felt disappointed in myself because I couldn't carry through. I couldn't confront him and walk away from the situation."

At the end of Grade 12, she said she finally did confrontJabbour, telling him she never wanted to see him again.

"I was able for the first time to say no. I walked out of the band room and out of the door," she testified. "I felt a sense of relief and liberation."

The woman testified she never told anyone the full story of what happened until now.

"I had been living with this for 25 years. I had often, at different times in my life, grappled with how to fully heal from it."

When she heard Jabbourfaced a formal police investigation on other charges, she said she decided it was time to come forward.

"I had an incredible sense of relief. I thought I was the only one that had suffered at his hands."

Defence produces 5 letters

On cross-examination, defence lawyerJoel Pink produced five letters the woman had written Jabbourafter graduation. She was living out of province but came back to visit family.

In the letters she saidshe intended to take Jabbour out for a meal, asked about his family, and signed some of the letters with "Keep in touch" and "Hugs and kisses."

The woman told court she didn't remember writing them.

When questioned by Pink, the woman also couldn't say for certain whether she had confronted Jabbour on the day of graduation or on another day around that time.

Pink also asked her if she had given Jabbour two of her grad photos. She told court she couldn't recall.

Before court wrapped up for the day Friday, the Crownsubmittedthe transcripts of the three complainants at the previous trial and the findings of conviction.

Crown attorney Valerie Moore said there are similarities in some of those testimonies to this case.

Thejudge has not yet decided whether to consider the testimony at the previous trialas evidence in this case.

The trial will continue Monday.

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