Former Alberta teacher pleads not guilty in second child sexual assault case

A former Alberta teacher has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation and one count of sexual interference in three separate incidents involving children.

Brian Leroy Davison entered the pleas in a Hinton, Alta., courtroom on Monday.

Davison was charged in January 2023.

A now 39-year-old woman testified that she was a 14-year-old Grade 9 student in Swan Hills, Alta., when Davison offered to tutor her in math after class on a day in September or October.

When she went to Davison's classroom, she says he made it very clear to her that the classroom door was locked from the outside.

She testified Davison asked her to write her feelings for him on a paper.

"He said that he knew we had feelings towards one another and it was OK," she said.

"I remember feeling very scared at that point but afraid to say anything."

She said as she attempted to leave Davison's classroom he embraced her and kissed her.

"He started kissing me and using his tongue as well. I had never kissed anyone before," she testified.

The woman and Davison exchanged written notes throughout the school year. At the end of the year she testified she ripped up all the notes and had enough paper to fill two garbage bags.

"I felt really shameful and guilty," she said. "I started to have panic attacks."

Speaking directly with CTV News Edmonton after her testimony, she said, “I never once felt positive feelings towards what happened or to him.”

"I kept silent about the encounter for fear," she explained. "Fear of retribution, fear of others finding out, fear of more. I thought if I stayed silent, I could pretend it wasn't happening. Just go with the flow, ensure never to be alone with him, and that it would keep me safe. I followed his orders for two reasons. Because I thought I had to, and because I was scared. Uncomfortable doesn't even begin to describe how I was feeling or how I have been impacted. The events from that year have carried forward with me for years and years, and have caused me much grief, much loss, and much stress. My hope in coming forward was to ensure this never happened to anyone else, and to stand up for justice."

Davison's trial is scheduled for five days.

In November 2023, Davison was sentenced to two years in jail after pleading guilty to sexual interference in connection with another case involving a child.

Davison was a teacher at École Pine Grove Middle School in Edson in November 2022 when he was charged with sexual interference, making sexually explicit material available to a child, and child luring.

The other charges were withdrawn.