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The former London, Ont., teacher who pleaded guilty last year to charges including sexual exploitation and voyeurism had his sentencing date pushed back following a brief court appearance on Wednesday morning.
Wednesday’s hearing was initially scheduled to conduct Dustin Epp’s sentencing.
It marked his first appearance in a London courthouse since the 48-year-old was arrested in Sudbury after skipping his original sentencing date last month. Until Wednesday, Epp had made several virtual appearances in court from the confines of the Sudbury Jail.
In October 2022, the former physics and computer science teacher at Oakridge Secondary School pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation, voyeurism, possessing child pornography and making child pornography.
On Jan. 27, he was additionally charged with failing to comply after he skipped his original sentencing on Jan. 17. During the Jan. 27 hearing, Epp indicated that he would represent himself in future hearings related to the case.
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The latest hearing, on Wednesday, lasted about 10 minutes. Assistant Crown attorney Meredith Gardiner told the court that Epp had been kept in the Sudbury Jail until last Friday, which “posed difficulties” for the sentencing.
“I will be providing Your Honour with some cases that I would assume Mr. Epp would like to review in advance … given that he was in transit between Sudbury and London, those haven’t been provided to him yet,” Gardiner said.
“We weren’t sure when corrections was going to be able to bring him to London. Given that he is self-represented, it’s difficult for me to iron out matters in advance.”
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When asked if he wished to proceed with sentencing, Epp responded by telling the court he’d been “on suicide watch since Jan. 23.”
“I’ve not had basic personal hygiene or even personal grooming since that time. I’ve been in total isolation and I’ve had no mental stimulation of any kind — no newspaper or anything,” Epp said.
“I would prefer to wait until I’m taken off (suicide watch) or given the psychiatric go-ahead to at least be able to prepare myself properly.”
The court ruled to have the matter adjourned to Feb. 14, with the intention to see if Epp is in a position to make submissions on his sentence.
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“I will liaise with the security sergeant at Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre in an effort to get Mr. Epp access to his disclosure,” said Gardiner.
In addition to the criminal proceedings, Epp is also named in a $2.8-million civil suit filed by the victim, a former student of Epp’s, on Jan. 16.
In the statement of claim, it’s alleged that in or about late December 2019, for a period of one month, Epp groomed the plaintiff, then 17, and after earning her trust, sexually abused her.
The Thames Valley District School Board is also named as a defendant in the statement of claim, which alleges the acts occurred on premises owned or controlled by Epp and/or the board.
None of the allegations in the civil suit have been tested in court.
— with files from Global’s Matthew Trevithick and Amy Simon
