Guelph teacher likely to lose licence after sending explicit video to student

A Guelph teacher who pleaded guilty to sending a video to a student of him masturbating will likely lose his teaching licence.

Justin Lenssen, 33, was arrested in December 2018 and charged with possession of child pornography, sexual exploitation, luring a child and making explicit material available.

READ MORE: Guelph high school teacher charged with sexual offences

On Monday in a Guelph courtroom, he pleaded guilty to the charge of making explicit material available, and all other charges were dropped.

Lenssen was sentenced to 90 days in prison, which will be served intermittently two days a week. He also submitted a sample of his DNA and will be listed as a sex offender for 10 years.

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Court heard he sent a Snapchat video of him masturbating to a student who took a screenshot and contacted police.

The Ontario College of Teachers says it is aware of the matter and is going through its own processes.

The matter could be referred to a discipline committee for a hearing of professional misconduct and a guilty finding could range in penalties from revocation of a member’s licence to some sort of reprimand or counselling.

“A guilty finding involving sexual abuse of a student, including behaviour or remarks of a sexual nature, shall result in the mandatory revocation of a member’s certificate,” spokesperson Gabrielle Barkany said in an email.

She couldn’t say if that would apply to Lenssen because the college doesn’t comment on outcomes until they have gone through their own process.

Lenssen was a teacher in the Wellington Catholic District School Board and has had his teaching licence since 2012.

The board said he has not been at the school since his arrest

READ MORE: Ontario teachers to lose licence if found guilty of sexual touching

“Now that the criminal matter has been dealt with, the board will move swiftly to complete its internal process,” director of education Tamara Nugent said in a statement.

“Our staff hold positions of trust and are expected to abide by professional and ethical standards of behaviour.”