2 former Halifax teachers face further charges in decades-old sexual assault investigations

Halifax Regional Police have laid additional charges against two former teachers in an investigation into historical sexual assaults.

In a news release Thursday, police said 66-year-old Michael Patrick McNutt of Halifax was charged on Nov. 14 with one count of indecent assault, one count of sexual assault and two counts of gross indecency in relation to two victims.

McNutt was already facing 91 sex-related offences, which date back to the early 1970s and late 1980s.

McNutt was arrested at Halifax Regional Police Headquarters and released to appear in court at a later date.

On Tuesday, Jaddus Joseph Poirier, 77, of Halifax was charged with one count each of gross indecency and indecent assault in relation to one victim.

He was released and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 23.

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“These charges are in relation to new victims and the offences occurred at different locations in the Halifax region,” stated Const. John MacLeod of Halifax Regional Police.

“The victims were youths at the time of the offences and McNutt and Poirier were in a position of trust in relation to the victims.

“We are not releasing any further details to protect the identity of the victims.”

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1:19 Former Halifax teacher, sports coach faces charges in historical sexual assaults

Police say they launched the investigation in October 2016 after “several victims came forward to report historical sexual assaults.”

Both McNutt and Poirier have already been charged as part of that investigation.

Poirier is already facing several charges of sexual assault, gross indecency, sexual exploitation and sexual exploitation. Halifax Regional Police have said those charges involve three male victims, who were youths at the time of the alleged offences.

Staff Sgt. Don Stienburg, who heads the police’s sexual investigation team, does not believe the alleged offences happened on school property.

McNutt was a volunteer coach in the 1980s and was employed as a teacher with the former Halifax Regional School Board until the mid-1990s.

Poirier worked with the former Halifax District School Board from 1984 to 2002.

— With files from Rebecca Lau.