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A former Hamilton high school teacher was sentenced to 2½ years in prison Thursday for assaulting four former students between the years June 2002 and November 2015.
Brian Boyle, age 54, who was a teacher at Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault, three counts of sexual exploitation and one count of sexual interference.
He was sentenced to 30 months in prison, has been put on the registered sex offenders list, is prohibited from owning a firearm or explosives for the next 10 years, and will have to submit his DNA to the national DNA database.
He is also prohibited from working with children under the age of 16 for the rest of his life.
The allegations against Boyle came out over social media last fall. Boyle was then arrested Nov. 3, 2021.
Because he pleaded guilty in court Thursday, this meant Boyle gave up his right to a trial and sentencing was delivered the same day.
A publication ban on the trial was in effect, to protect the identities of the four victims who came forward.
The assaults occurred at various locations over the course of 13 years. Examples include Boyle’s classroom, at the students’ homes and at least once at a movie theatre. The court heard how several of Boyle’s victims said they were in vulnerable positions as teenagers, with little family support, and that Boyle groomed and took advantage of them.
The court heard victim impact statements from four of Boyle’s former students that detailed the physical and psychological abuses they suffered.
One victim spoke about the post traumatic stress disorder she has faced in the years since she was abused.
Hamilton Police Service is encouraging any survivors of sexual assault to report incidents to the Sexual Assault Unit at 905-540-5553.
The following resources are available locally to support survivors:
HHS Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Care Centre HHS Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence
SACHA (Sexual Assault Centre Hamilton and Area) SACHA
Hamilton Police Service Sexual Assault Centre’s 24-hour support line at 905-525-4162
Niagara Sexual Assault Centre Niagara Sexual Assault Centre
SAVIS (Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services of Halton) SAVIS