WARNING: This story contains graphic details that some may find disturbing
Three former St. Michael’s College School students have admitted to sexually assaulting a fellow student with a weapon at the all-boys private school last year.
In a Toronto youth court on Thursday, the teens, who cannot be identified under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, each pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault with a weapon and one count of assault with a weapon.
One of the three accused also pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography.
An investigation into the disturbing allegations was launched last November after a video surfaced on social media purportedly showing the sexual assault of a student inside a locker room at the school.
Police said they later learned of an assault and a second sexual assault that also occurred inside the school's locker room.
Details of the incidents were described in an agreed statement of facts that were presented in court by Crown prosecutor Erin McNamara on Thursday.
McNamara said the first incident occurred on or around Sept. 18, 2018 after a football practice.
According to the statement of facts, a boy was picked up by his arms and legs by some teammates and was eventually put down on the ground. He was then flipped over onto his stomach while people pulled down his football pants, partly exposing his buttocks.
Someone yelled, "Get the broom!” and the victim was struck on the buttocks several times with an object, the court heard Thursday.
He didn’t know who had struck him until a video of the incident “went viral” at school, the Crown said.
Teens plead guilty to lesser charge
McNamara said the same victim was once again attacked by three suspects a month later on Oct. 17 in the school locker room following a football game.
The victim said while he was changing, he heard the "roar of his teammates" and saw a group approaching him.
The Crown stated that the boy tried to run but he was tripped by someone and fell to his knees.
Three suspects brought the teen down to the ground and pulled down his trousers while the victim struggled to pull them up, the court heard.
McNamara stated that the suspects grabbed a broom and sexually assaulted the boy multiple times.
When the victim got up, the same group of people who had attacked him gathered around him looking at a phone, the court heard.
When asked if he wanted to watch the video, the victim said he didn't and begged the person who shot it to delete it, which he did.
The suspects were initially charged with sexual assault with a weapon in connection with that incident but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of assault with a weapon.
The Crown said another victim, who was not a member of the football team, was sexually assaulted in the school locker room on Nov. 7 after a football game.
According to the Crown, after all of the coaches had left, the victim was in the locker room asking a friend for a ride home when a person ran into the room and shut the door.
McNamara said that while the student was speaking to his friend, he heard someone say, “Get him!”
Multiple people grabbed the victim and brought him down to the ground while one person recorded the incident on video.
The video, which was reviewed by investigators, showed three suspects tearing through the victim’s clothing, ripping his underwear, the Crown stated.
The Crown said the victim struggled and told the suspects to stop while he was being sexually assaulted with a broom.
McNamara said the crowd around the victim could be heard yelling during the assault.
Several minutes later, the victim was released.
The video of the incident was shared around the school and later came to the attention of the school’s administrators.
Seven students originally charged
While the school's principal did contact police asking for advice on a "hazing" incident that took place at the school, police said they did not formally launch an investigation until they learned that a number of students had been expelled and a second sexual assault at the school had been recorded.
Seven students were initially charged in connection with the investigation.
Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney General previously confirmed that the cases against two of the students concluded this past summer but it did not release details about how the cases were resolved. Charges laid against a third student were withdrawn.
One student currently facing charges did not enter a guilty plea on Thursday but is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 17.
Speaking outside the courthouse on Thursday, Jeff Mazin, a defence lawyer representing one of the ex-students, said the pleas could potentially bring some closure to the victims in the case.
"This is obviously a very difficult situation," Mazin said. "There were pleas entered today and in doing so, they are saving the witnesses from having to testify."
Rachel Lictman, another lawyer representing one of the accused, said the "systemic abuse" seen at many school, including St. Michael's College, needs to end.
"This is about proper sexual education. This is about stopping systemic abuse that is happening at these schools. Not just St. Mike’s. There are other schools where there is systemic abuse that is happening and there needs to be an end to that," she said.
A 123-page report authored by an independent committee in the wake of the scandal stated that bullying continues to be a “systemic” issue at the prestigious private school.
The report, which was released in August, made 36 recommendations to address the issue of bullying, suggestions the school said it is committed to adopting.
Shortly after learning of the incidents, administrators at the prestigious Catholic school forced all students involved in competitive sports to participate in workshops about bullying, harassment, and abuse. The school also decided to cancel the programs for multiple sports teams.
The sentencing hearing for the three teens who pleaded guilty on Thursday is set for Nov. 14 at 10 a.m.
-With files from The Canadian Press
