FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

A 77-year-old retired private school teacher living in Dollard des Ormeaux had hoped to spend a two-year sentence at his residence with his wife for sexually assaulting two male students more than 25 years ago. Instead, a Quebec Court judge sent Robert Charpentier to a federal jail last Thursday, despite the defence’s pleas and support from his local church, as well as former colleagues and even one student – and despite Charpentier’s claim that he did nothing wrong.

Judge Guylaine Rivest dismissed Charpentier’s lawyer’s argument that media coverage of his client’s court case had caused him great harm and that his age should be taken into consideration for allowing the former English, religion and morality teacher to serve his sentence at home.

The 2022 trial heard evidence that in the late 1980s, Charpentier, a teacher at a private school in the West Island, invited one boy to his home, where they played a game of “truth or dare” in the basement and the teacher then sexually assaulted his young victim. The second victim was assaulted a decade later while walking with Charpentier at the school during the lunch hour. Charpentier was found guilty of gross indecency for abusing the first child and inciting the second victim to touch himself in a sexual manner.

Charpentier received support from friends and former colleagues, as well as from a former student who told the court that Charpentier was a man blessed with “high morals” and who had “enriched society.” But that didn’t convince Rivest, who slapped the retired teacher with a 24-month sentence, followed by three years’ probation. He will also be added to a sexual offenders’ list for 10 years.