Retired Ont. teacher guilty of paying for sex with teen handed conditional sentence
![Daniel Martin Daniel Martin, of Welland, Ont., outside the courthouse in Barrie, Ont., on Tues., May 28, 2024. (CTV News/Mike Arsalides)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/5/28/daniel-martin-1-6903840-1716918735855.jpg)
Warning: Readers may find details in this article disturbing.
A retired history teacher who pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021 has been handed a 12-month conditional sentence, including house arrest.
Daniel Martin, 66, was initially charged in June of 2022 with child luring, sexual interference, and sexual assault involving a boy he met on the dating app Grindr and then communicated with on Snapchat before agreeing to meet.
The Crown withdrew the remaining charges.
The court heard Martin, who was a teacher for more than 30 years before retirement, travelled and agreed to meet the boy in Collingwood on at least two occasions in 2021. Martin told the court he thought the boy was of legal age.
Martin, the court heard, didn't ask the boy how old he was or take any steps to do so.
They met again weeks later when the boy confirmed he was actually 15, making him about 50 years Martin's junior. After that encounter, Martin ended communication with the boy, but transferred him about $400.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
The defence told the court, according to his pre-sentence report, that Martin is at a low risk of reoffending and is unlikely to be attracted to minors, though it cannot conclusively be ruled out.
Martin told the court he continues to undergo counselling.
The Crown sought to have Martin sentenced to two years less a day behind bars, saying he had a history of paying for sexual services and had a sexual preference for young men about 40 years his junior.
Martin previously apologized to the court, saying he should have walked away immediately after learning the boy's age and apologized for any harm done to the boy and his family. He said that in an attempt to help the boy, he made the child's life "a lot worse."
Martin has also been placed on probation for two years, is banned from having weapons and is not to come into contact with children or be at locations where children are known to be, including schools, playgrounds and community centres for 10 years. He is also not to be in a position of trust or authority over children during that time period.
Martin, who resides in both Ontario and Quebec, will not be placed on the sex offender registry but was ordered to provide his DNA to police.
Justice Philop John Brissette said he believed the charges were the result of a "one-off" situation and "some terrible decisions."
The Barrie judge then commended Martin for accepting responsibility for his actions and entering the guilty plea.
"You've done the right thing in my view accepting responsibility and you get credit for that as well," said Brissette. "I hope you've learned from this, you'll continue to learn from it, give back to the community and we don't see you back here again."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6977485.1721935249!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
LIVE UPDATES Rain reduces wildfire activity, aids firefighters: Jasper park officials
Jasper National Park officials said Thursday night that rain over the day resulted in "minimal fire behaviour and spread."
Canadian Olympic Committee removes women's soccer team's head coach over drone scandal
The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed women's national soccer team head coach Bev Priestman over a drone scandal, according to a press release from the organization.
Yukon woman narrowly escapes bear attack, credits hair clip
A woman in Yukon believes her hair clip helped save her during a bear attack.
Prince William's 2023 salary revealed in new report
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
'I was just shocked': Jasper lodge owner on seeing property destroyed by wildfire
On Wednesday night, the owner of Maligne Lodge in Jasper, Alta., was shocked to receive a photo of her business engulfed in flames.
Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond likely has Indigenous DNA: report
The Law Society of British Columbia says a DNA test shows a former judge and Order of Canada recipient accused of falsely claiming to be Cree "most likely" has Indigenous heritage.
U.S. authorities have arrested 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel
Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of another infamous cartel leader, were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas on Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department said.
Harris pushes Netanyahu to ease suffering in Gaza: 'I will not be silent'
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to help reach a Gaza ceasefire deal that would ease the suffering of Palestinian civilians, striking a tougher tone than President Joe Biden.
'She led it the whole way': 18-year-old B.C. woman leads hikers to safety in Jasper National Park
As fire threatened people in Jasper National Park, Colleen Knull sprung into action.