Former Ottawa teacher sentenced to 2 years in prison for sex crimes appeals conviction
CTV
Disgraced former Ottawa teacher Rick Watkins has appealed his conviction hours after a judge sentenced him to two years in prison for sex crimes against former students.
Disgraced former Ottawa teacher Rick Watkins has appealed his conviction hours after a judge sentenced him to two years in prison for sex crimes against former students.
Watkins' lawyer says no date has been set for the Court of Appeal to hear the case.
Watkins, who was also known as Rick Despatie, was found guilty in September on four counts of sexual assault, four counts of sexual interference, two counts of criminal harassment and one count of sexual exploitation.
On Monday, a judge sentenced Watkins to two years in a federal penitentiary, plus two years probation.
"We must be able to trust that teachers will not abuse their students," said Justice Ann Alder when delivering the sentence. "Mr. Watkins knew what he was doing. He made comments to some victims about their reaction. This was a pattern. A pattern that continued for years."
Watkins' lawyer said he had "no comment" after the sentence was handed down.
The case involved four former students with the crimes spanning over seven years, up until 2021. The court heard the incidents took place in class and when he was offering students extra help for their studies.
