Barrie public school teacher accused of sex crimes, involving teenage girl, granted bail

Kyle Pitman has been granted bail after the Crown consented to his release to residential sureties Friday afternoon.

The 43-year-old Barrie public school teacher accused of sex crimes that include luring and exploiting a 16-year-old girl on Instagram was released from custody under strict conditions to three loved ones pledging $7,500.

Pitman is ordered not to possess any electronic devices to access the internet and cannot be at or near a school or children unless in the company of his sureties.

Pitman had been behind bars since his arrest Tuesday.

According to the Barrie Police Service, Pitman has been charged with sex crimes involving a child that include sexual exploitation, invitation to touching, making, printing, publishing or possessing child pornography, accessing child pornography, making sexually explicit material of a child under 18, and luring a child under 18.

Publication bans imposed protect the identity of the victim from being revealed along with any evidence heard during the proceedings.

Barrie police revealed detectives from the Internet Child Exploitation unit executed a search warrant after receiving a report from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.

Police said emergency orders with the internet service providers confirmed the identity and age of the teen, as well as the identity, age and location of the accused.

Police revealed several computer devices belonging to the accused were seized for further analysis.

The 43-year-old has been a teacher for more than 13 years and worked as a local baseball coach and was recently named select coach of the year in Barrie.

Pitman also taught French immersion and was a public school teacher for more than a decade in Mississauga and Brampton before moving to the Barrie area two years ago.

The Simcoe County District School Board has not provided comment on the case.

He is represented by Peter Thorning, a Toronto defence lawyer.

Pitman is scheduled to make his next virtual court appearance later this month.

The allegations against him have not been tested in court.