A former Angus Catholic school teacher left a Bradford courthouse on Wednesday in a prisoner transport vehicle as a registered sex offender.
Steven Vincer sat quietly in the courtroom as Justice Bliss sentenced him to 18 months behind bars for molesting two young boys in the 1980s.
Looking directly at the 66-year-old, Justice Bliss said that outside of his horrendous sexual assaults, “You have been an inspiring teacher that people would look up to, but there has to be a price to pay for these offences.”
Vincer taught at Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in Angus for more than 40 years between 1975 and 2017.
In court, the judge revealed the former teacher had a habit of taking kids away on trips, not organized by the school, and that is when he would prey on his victims.
“He used two of his students for his sexual gratification,” said Bliss.
In 2017 one of the victims, now a father himself, came forward to police after seeing Vincer at a shopping mall with a young boy.
The police investigation that followed led to a second victim.
The former teacher didn’t fight the charges.
“He understands what he did was wrong, and he’s taken responsibility,” said defence lawyer David Wilcox. “He’s pleaded guilty and admitted to what he did, and there’s not much more he could do.”
Following his 18-month jail sentence, Vincer will be under probation for one year. He is forbidden from going to public parks, swimming pools, and playgrounds, areas where children are typically present.
Vincer will also have to undergo any counseling ordered by his probation officer.
His victims were not present in court today, but the judge described the lasting effects the sexual exploitations have had on their self-esteem and overall lives, saying, “Those episodes remained hidden for more than 30 years.”
