Victims testify in sentencing of former Montreal West Island teacher charged with decades-old sexual offences

Content warning: This article contains details that may be disturbing to some readers. 

Sentencing arguments were held on Tuesday for a former English teacher from Dollard des Ormeaux who sexually abused two former students decades ago.

The victims of Robert Charpentier made statements about the private school teacher in the 1970s who retired around a decade ago.

In 2019, a former student went to police accusing Charpentier of sexually abusing him in the 1980s during a sleepover.

It began with a game of truth or dare with the teen, but, the teen said, the game quickly turned sexual.

It took the victim nearly 30 years to come forward.

In the meantime, another one of Charpentier's students also came forward and accused the teacher of abuse during lunch at school.

At the time, the victim said, he trusted his teacher.

Charpentier was found guilty of the two sex crimes a year ago.

During sentencing arguments, the two victims read impact statements to the court, saying they lived in shame with a sense of betrayal throughout their adult lives.

One said it led him to struggle with drugs and alcohol.

The prosecution is demanding a sentence of two to three years behind bars.

The defence is arguing for a suspended sentence, meaning no jail time.

The judge will deliver her verdict in the coming weeks.