Former London teacher guilty of sex crimes makes court appearance after being re-captured
After failing to appear for his sentencing hearing on a rash of sex-related crimes 10 days ago, a former London high school teacher who was on the lam for six days made a court appearance via video from the Sudbury jail.
Dustin Epp, 48, was supposed to appear for his sentencing on Jan. 17 after pleading guilty to several charges including, child pornography, voyeurism and sexual interference involving a former student.
When he didn’t show up, police issued a missing persons report and less than a week later he was arrested in a Sudbury hotel.
The former teacher at Oakridge Secondary School in London appeared from the jail via zoom wearing a white T-shirt.
Crown Attorney Meredith Gardiner told the court that Epp was supposed to be returned to London following his arrest up north and that a previous joint submission for sentencing is now being revoked since he failed to appear in court last week.
When asked if he had a lawyer, Epp responded, “I don’t have one.” He said he would proceed through the courts being self-represented and refusing any assistance from defence lawyer Ron Ellis who attended the proceedings.
The matter has now been put over until Feb. 3 to set a date for a sentencing hearing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.