CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - Roger James Jabbour took the stand Monday to deny all allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct levelled by his former music student.
Jabbour is on trial on two counts of sexual exploitation arising from alleged incidents between April 1991 and February 1992 where, while in a position of trust, he allegedly did for a sexual purpose touch a student and directed her to touch him.
“No, absolutely not,’’ Jabbour told the court when asked if he ever exposed his penis to the complainant, who is now 44.
Defence lawyer Joel Pink raised one allegation after another, almost like a check list in addressing the complainant’s disturbing testimony given in court Friday.
Jabbour categorically denied each and every one.
No, he never kissed her, not on the cheeks or mouth. Nor did he plunge his tongue in her mouth, he testified.
Jabbour told the court he never masturbated in front of the complainant as she alleges.
The denials continued.
Related: Second trial underway for former P.E.I. music teacher accused of sex offences
The accused, who retired in November 2017 after 33 years as a music teacher at Colonel Gray high school in Charlottetown, told the court he was never alone in his home when the complainant was there to baby sit. He also refuted the former student’s claim that he came to visit her at another place where she was babysitting.
Jabbour said the complainant never sent him a letter telling him that she wanted the relationship to end.
The woman testified that Jabbour confronted her, letter in hand, when they were alone.
“He was really angry,’’ she told the court Friday. “He behaved as though he had been deceived and betrayed.’’
She also testified Jabbour had an explosive temper that saw him throw chairs, knock music stands to the floor and berate students. He denied such actions, telling the court he may have gotten frustrated but not angry.
He testified that there was never a bad word spoken between him and the complainant, who he admitted to treating “differently’’ than other students because she was very motivated.
“We were good friends,’’ Jabbour told the court.
“She was kind to me.’’
Related: Former P.E.I. music teacher Roger Jabbour guilty of three sex-related offences
Jabbour said he has had no communication with the complainant over the past 23 years.
He did, at the request of his lawyer, read portions of the friendly-toned letters the complainant sent to him in the months following her graduation from Colonel Gray in 1992.
“I save everything my students give me…especially the good ones,’’ he told the court, noting he has four boxes of letters, cards and graduation photos at home.
Jabbour estimates having taught roughly 4,000 music students over his career.
Chief Provincial Court Judge Nancy Orr ruled Monday in favour of Crown attorney Valerie Moore’s request to have the verdict in Jabbour’s first trial as well as testimony from three complainants in that trial entered as “similar fact evidence’’ in this trial.
Provincial Court Judge John Douglas found Jabbour guilty earlier this month on two counts of sexual exploitation and one count of sexual interference.
Legal councils are slated to deliver their summations Tuesday.
