Ontario teacher facing additional sex charges involving minors




Jaclyn McLaren is facing six new charges in addition to the dozens of charges previously laid in relation to sex offences involving young people while she was a teacher.

As of Thursday morning, McLaren has been charged with two additional counts of making sexually explicit material available to a person under 16 and four additional counts of making sexually explicit material available to a person under 18.

She was previously charged with 36 other criminal charges, including four counts of sexual assault on a person under 16, four counts of sexual interference with a person under 16, four counts of invitation to sexual touching, eight counts of sexual exploitation, six counts of luring a person under 16, seven counts of making sexually explicit material available to a person under 16 and three counts of making child pornography.

McLaren's defence lawyer, Pieter Kort, appeared on her behalf for a brief court proceeding in Belleville on Thursday.

During the proceeding, Kort said he had received additional disclosure from Hastings County Crown attorney Lee Burgess regarding the case. Kort said he expects more disclosure -- the sharing of evidence between the Crown and defence -- to come forward in the future.

The disclosure names four additional complainants. A publication ban is in place on the release of information that may identify the complainants. In total, eight young people are involved in the case.

The 36-year-old Stirling woman was initially charged in February. Those charges involved four young people aged 12 to 15 and date from 2013 to 2016. Investigators said the incidents occurred in Tweed, 37 kilometres northeast of Belleville.

During her first court appearance in February, McLaren was freed from custody on a $100,000 bond with strict conditions.

Kerry Donnell, communications officer for the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board, was in court Thursday and said McLaren is not actively working in any local schools at this point.

Last month, OPP officers met with students at local schools in relation to their investigation.

Donnell said the board is conducting its own internal review.  "Generally, when there are any issues with staff, the board does its own investigation as per our process," Donnell said.

She added that while it's "business as usual" at the schools, child and youth workers and counsellors continue to be available "at a moment's notice" for students and staff.

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