Roger Jabbour takes stand to deny all sexual allegations against him

A former music teacher on trial for sex-related offences took the stand in his own defence today, denying all the allegations against him.

Roger Jabbour, 65, was the final witness for the defence as the trial wrapped up onits second day in Charlottetown provincial court.

He faces eight charges of sexual assault and sexual touching involving three complainants. The girls were band students of Jabbour's at Colonel Gray High School and at the time the alleged offences beganwere under 16.

Jabbourhas pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and today answered questions from his lawyer as the defencepresented its case.

'Yes I hugged her'

Jabbour described the three complainants as good musicians and said that he emailed them regularly, mostly related to the music department, but said "It was a student-teacher relationship. Nothing more."

Two of the three complainants testified earlier that Jabbour emailed them almost every evening and talked with them on an email account not connected to the school.

"We chatted a bit about life around the music department life around the school, upcoming concerts and trips," he told the court.

When the Crown asked how his wife felt about him communicating with students online in the evening, Jabbour said "She was frustrated with me being on the computer," but added that he had communicated online with other students "plenty of times over the years."

Jabboursaid he did hug the three girls as a way of thanking them for the extra work they were doing with the music department, and also took them out for supper for the same reason, but denies that the hugs were inappropriate or for hisown sexualgratification.

"Yes I hugged her. That's my way of thanking students for working for me and I held her hand to say she did a good job," testified Jabbour, adding that he hugged a lot of students.

The former teacher said he had held hands with one of the witnesses as he would to console any other student who was upset.

"She was having a bad day sometimes and that was my way of consoling her," Jabbourtold the court.

'I see myself as a musical friend'

However, he deniesallegations that he kissed two of the students, and rubbed their backs, or of acting in any way other than a standard student-teacher relationship.

"I would never do that," he said.

Jabbour said he's taught about 4,000 students over his 46 years teaching. He retired in November.

He described himself as a "father figure" to many of his students.

"I see myself as a musical friend with a little more experience than they do," he told the court.

Under cross-examination by Crown attorney Valerie Moore, Jabboursaid he wasn't aware of any school policies covering touching or communicating with students.

Two complainants testified Monday that Jabbour had come to one of their homes to watch a movie with them, and that therewere no other adults home at the time.

When Moore asked him why he thought it was appropriate to go to a student's house to watch a movie, Jabbourtold the court several students had invited him to their homes over the years.

He said when he went to the complainant's house he didn't know her parents wouldn't be there.

Third complainant testifies

Thethird of three complainants also testified Tuesday morning she was the Crown's final witness.

She told the courtJabbour would often call her into his office to talk about other students and about her own personal life chats that would oftenlast about anhour and happened about once a week.

She said those talks started near the beginning of the school year and as they continued through the winter months she became more uncomfortable with them.

"He seemed upset with me that I hadn't told him that I was dating this boy," she said, as an example.

She testified Jabbour would comment on her band performancebut also on her clothing, with comments like "You have to watch out wearing those types of clothing."

Sometimes she thought she was in trouble when he called her into his office, she said, and she would start crying.

"Sometimes he would ask me to give him a hug so I would stop crying," she said.

Witness says she felt 'trapped' during meeting

During one of these meetings, while she was on her phone talking to a relative, she said Jabbourcame over to her,put his hand on her, and pushed his body toward her.

"I was really scared and I couldn't really move," she testified, adding that she felt "trapped" because he was running his hand over her hand, arm, shoulder, back and hips, while she was on the phone.

She estimatedthere were three or four inches of space between them.

Up until that point, she told the court, she thought Jabbour had been meeting with her because of her talent as a musician.

The young woman testified Jabbour would often lose his temper at band practices, and she thought that was his way of encouraging students to practice more.

On another occasionclose to the end of the school year, the woman told the courtJabbour tried to convince her not to join a special academic program.

She saidwhen she became upset, Jabbourwheeled his chair over to hers, put his hands on her knees, ran his hands up her thighs, under her shorts and rubbed her hips adding that when she pulled away, he stopped.

In his testimony, Jabboursaid he held the girl's hand but denied any inappropriate touching.

Defence presses witness on details

On cross-examination by defence lawyer Joel Pink, the woman confirmed that Jabbourwas a good music teacher and had given her friendly advice.

Pink also questioned the witness on details of the layout of Jabbour's office and music practice room, and details of the alleged incidents.

Pink asked whether she would agree that Jabbour was just trying to console her when she was crying.

"It didn't feel like he was trying to console me," she replied.

Yesterday, two other former students testified that Jabbour met them in his office and music practice rooms, alone and with the door closed.

They testified Jabboursubjected them to kisses and hugs in his office after class on numerous occasions.

Jabbourwas the defence's final witness.

Both his lawyer and the Crown will file written closing arguments to the judge.

The case will be back in court Aug. 23 to set a date for a decision.

The alleged incidents took place between Sept. 2012 and June 2015.

The identities of the complainants are protected under a court-ordered publication ban.

More P.E.I. news