PAUL MAILLET

A former Moncton teacher has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for sex crimes against former students.

Justice Jean-Paul Ouellette called Paul Maillet’s actions “a flagrant violation of his authority,” as he delivered his decision in French in a Moncton court room Monday.

Maillet, 78, was found guilty in January of 17 sex crimes against nine victims, some of whom were as young as 12 at the time.

The victims in this case cannot be named due to a publication ban.

At a prior proceeding, the Crown had recommended 14 years, and the defence recommended seven.

“Mr. Maillet sexually abused nine innocent children who were vulnerable and at his mercy,” Ouellette said in French.

“Mr. Maillet stole the innocence of his victims. He inflicted intergenerational damage.”

Ouellette said he considered several aggravating factors in his decision.

The fact that Maillet was in a position of authority in relation to his victims, the young ages and the number of the victims, the psychological manipulation and the fact that some crimes took place at a school played a role, Ouellette said.

The charges included gross indecency, sexual touching, indecent assault, sexual assault and possession of child pornography, related to incidents between 1967 and 2022.
Maillet previously said in court he did not realize the impact his crimes could have on the victims later in life.

Ouellette referenced that comment Monday, expressing disbelief.

“Hard to imagine that a teacher doesn’t know the needs of a child, of his obligations toward them in a situation of confidence and authority,” he said in French.

“He was the adult in the room.”

When Ouellette finished reading his decision, people in the courtroom, including victims, applauded.

Defence lawyer Gilles Lemieux declined to comment outside the courtroom when reporters asked whether his client planned to appeal the decision.

Maillet has been in custody since the trial began in January. Ouellette said 80 days will be removed from his 14-year sentence for time already served.

Ouellette also set conditions to the sentence, including no communication with any of the victims, remaining on a registered sex offender list for life and no communication with anyone under the age of 16 unless supervised.

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FORMER MONCTON ,NEW BRUNSWICK TEACHER GUILTY OF 17 HISTORIC SEX CRIMES ,JUDGE RULES…

PAUL MAILLET STOOD TRIAL OVER SEVERAL WEEKS IN MONCTON ON MORE THAN A DOZEN CHARGES………….

Jan 31, 2025….CBC.

**WARNING: This article contains details of abuse.**

A former Moncton teacher has been found guilty of 17 sex crime charges involving nine victims going back decades.

Paul Maillet, 78, stood trial over several weeks in January on crimes alleged to have occurred between 1967 and 2022.

The charges included gross indecency, indecent assault, sexual touching, sexual assault, communicating with a person under 18 for sexual purposes, and possession of child pornography.

Justice Jean-Paul Ouellette read his decision over nearly two hours Friday morning, finding Maillet guilty of all but one charge: communicating with a person under 18 for a sexual purpose in 2003.

Maillet had faced 27 charges, but the Crown withdrew several as the trial unfolded.

Taken into custody

The judge ordered Maillet, who had been released on bail during the trial, remanded into custody pending sentencing. He was led out of the courtroom by sheriffs.

Sentencing has been scheduled for March 19 and 20.

It was the second trial involving Maillet. In September 2023, he was found not guilty of sexual assault and gross indecency.

His trial this year heard testimony from 10 men between the ages of 38 and 69. The court heard Maillet assaulted students between the 1960s and 1990s at Stella Maris, Champlain and Vanier schools in Moncton.

Several said they had never told anyone about the assaults at the time.

The victims cannot be identified.

Gained trust of students

Crown prosecutor Martine Cormier said in closing arguments on Jan. 24 that witness testimony showed similarities in the events and that Maillet had a modus operandi.

Cormier said Maillet gained the trust of boys aged 10 to 14 by giving them tasks in class, offering them gifts and car rides, inviting them to the swimming pool at his apartment and offering them trips.

The court heard Maillet showed pornographic images to some students, touched children in his classroom, photographed naked children and masturbated young boys. He also had oral sex with some of them.

Defence lawyer Gilles Lemieux criticized the RCMP investigation in his closing arguments, saying little was done to verify statements given to police.

“What the Crown didn’t do, what the police didn’t do, what the investigators didn’t do? Trust but verify, trust but verify,” Lemieux said in French.

He noted that several people testified that sometimes other children were present in classrooms, a car or Maillet’s apartment during the alleged events. He questioned why investigators didn’t seek out those potential witnesses to corroborate the allegations.

Lemieux declined to comment on the decision when leaving the courthouse Friday.

Victims testified that the assaults shattered their lives.

“I spent my life running away from my life,” said one, who later became addicted to drugs.

“My parents died without knowing that I was abused,” another testified.

PHOTO……

Paul Maillet, shown leaving the Moncton courthouse in 2023, has been remanded into custody and will be sentenced in March.