GSSD board fires convicted teacher

Trevor Latham is no longer an employee of the Good Spirit School Division.

Latham pleaded guilty September 10 to sexual assault involving a 12-year-old Yorkton girl.

At its regular meeting October 3, following a lengthy in-camera session, the board voted unanimously to terminate the Sturgis Elementary School teacher on the recommendation of the division's lawyer.

Dwayne Reeve, GSSD director of education explained the discussion was protracted not because of controversy, but procedure.

"It wasn't a difficult decision, but we wanted to make sure we followed the process appropriately," he said.

Latham is scheduled to be sentenced at Yorkton Provincial Court October 11, this Friday.

At an emotional hearing September 24 during which the parents of the victim read victim impact statements and the defendant apologized profusely, Judge Darin Chow heard sentencing arguments from the Crown and defence.

The prosecution asked for a custodial sentence citing aggravating circumstances including the age of the victim, the fact the offence took place in her own bed and that Latham had been a family friend. The Crown felt a discharge was inappropriate because of sentencing guidelines that denunciation and deterrence are the primary purposes in cases of sexual assault involving victims under the age of 18, but left the length of imprisonment at the discretion of the Court.

The defence sought a conditional discharge with alcohol counseling and community service saying that the purposes of denunciation and deterrence have already been satisfied by Latham's public contrition and the fact his career is ruined.