Former Kitchener, Ont. principal found guilty of sexual assault involving students

A judge has found a former principal guilty of several sex assault-related crimes involving students. CTV’s Colton Wiens explains.

A former elementary school principal in Kitchener, Ont. has been found guilty of sexual assault, sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching.

“I did not find [Rodney] Eckert, overall, to be credible or reliable,” Justice Frances Brennan explained as she delivered the verdict Tuesday. “I did not believe Mr. Eckert’s testimony.”

The charges related to three separate interactions involving students.

Two of the incidents happened at Saint John Paul II Catholic Elementary School between 2021 and 2022.

In one, Eckert touched a student’s penis and testicles. Court heard that while examining a boy after an accident, he laughed and commented, “Is it always that big?” His lawyer argued Eckert was only referring to swelling and touched the student’s testicles out of concern for his physical wellbeing. The student testified in court that he felt the comment was in reference to his penis.

Eckert pleaded guilty to sexual assault in relation to that incident, however he maintained he was not guilty of sexual interference.

The judge said the evidence presented in court overwhelmingly supported charges of sexual assault and sexual interference.

The second incident happened in a changeroom at the school. Eckert gave a student, who was muddy, a change of clothes. Court heard Eckert pulled down the child’s shorts, exposing their buttocks, and said, “look at that white butt.”

Eckert claimed he did not recall using those words, while his lawyer said Eckert was only trying to show the student that their shorts could pulled down because they were worn so low.

The Crown attorney, Matt McLean, argued “in both cases [the children were] alone with Mr. Eckert [and] neither [action] were necessary.” He also insisted that it met the definition of sexual interference.

Justice Brennan said in her decision that Eckert and the child “were both alone in that room” and pulling down the student’s pants impacted their sexual integrity. Again, the judge said the evidence supported a guilty verdict for sexual assault and sexual interference.

The third incident involved an online conversation in 2023 between Eckert, who was at that time retired, and another male student.

Eckert told the child: “Just promise me that you are masturbating to release the pressure.”

His lawyer said the comment referred to a student joke and was only meant to make the recipient laugh. The judge pointed out a motive was not required for the charge of invitation to sexual touching, while the Crown argued joking about sexual conduct is considered a form of grooming and, as an adult, Eckert should have shut down the conversation.

The defence also questioned the credibility of one of the victims, saying his ability to recall details was not reliable. The Crown pushed back on that claim, arguing the student may have been too embarrassed to share additional details.

Justice Brennan ultimately sided with the Crown. She felt the witnesses were telling the truth about their interactions with Eckert.

She also agreed joking can be a form of grooming.

“Mr. Eckert cloaked his request using an inuendo,” Justice Brennan said. “He was not a Grade 8 student or his peer.”

She added that “there was nothing funny” about Eckert’s comment.

In total, Eckert was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault, two counts of sexual interference and one count of invitation to sexual touching.

He will return to court on July 18 to begin the sentencing process.

The judge said it may take a couple of weeks to determine how much time Eckert will serve.

- With reporting by Colton Wiens