‘He was my favourite teacher in high school. I really respected him,’ said the woman
The woman allegedly sexually exploited by her former high school teacher told court Monday she agreed to the sexual affair she had with him.
But the now 23-year-old told defence lawyer Alain Hepner she considered Jason Selby an authoritative person in her life.
The alleged victim, who can’t be identified, agreed with Hepner her sexual relationship with Selby didn’t begin until after she graduated from Western Canada high school in June 2018.
“He had no authority over you,” Hepner suggested to the complainant, who initially took the witness stand nearly a year ago.
“He didn’t have direct authority, but I still felt he was an authoritative person in my life, because he was my teacher … and he was someone I looked up to,” the woman said.
“I really valued his opinion on me.”
“You voluntarily maintained a relationship well into 2020,” Hepner noted.
“I did because it was validating, because he was like the cool, smart, older teacher.”
Selby, 41, faces a charge of sexual exploitation of the complainant, with whom he had a lengthy sexual relationship which began in July 2018, before her 18th birthday.
He had also faced a charge of sexual assault, but Crown prosecutor Pam McCluskey stayed that allegation.
Hepner suggested Selby indicated he believed the alleged victim had already reached the age of majority before they became intimate.
She acknowledged he on at least one occasion expressed that belief.
“All I remember was the one remark ‘well, you’re 18,’” she said.
“I did not correct him,” she said.
But McCluskey also presented a series of texts exchanged between the woman and Selby in which she indicated her birthday that summer was approaching.
The texts showed the woman went to Selby’s home just days before she turned 18.
“Was there ever a time in (that month) when you went to Mr. Selby’s house and you did not have sexual activity?” McCluskey asked.
“No,” the witness replied.
She agreed with Hepner she initiated the texting between them, but said it was only after Selby put his number in her phone and insisted she contact him.
“It was, like, exciting,” the woman said.
“He was my favourite teacher in high school. I really respected him,” she explained.
“I thought it was special that he would even want to hang out with me at all.”
And she acknowledged that by the time their sexual relationship began on July 7, 2018, Selby held no control over her academic marks and she had graduated from the school.