Teenager testifies in trial of Regina high school teacher accused of sex offenses

WARNING: This story contains disturbing details.

The teenager who allegedly exchanged nude photos and videos with a high school teacher testified in the Court of King’s Bench in Regina on Tuesday.

Jeffrey Dumba, 52, faces five charges related to sexual offenses against the 15-year-old student dating back to 2021.

Dumba is accused of soliciting a minor for sexually penetrative touching, distributing sexually explicit material to minors and possessing child pornography.

He was arrested on September 3, 2021.

The identity of the young person is subject to a publication ban.

Court discusses Snapchat and text messages

On Tuesday afternoon, the girl took the witness stand and the court watched part of her police interview from September 2, 2021.

In the video, she told an officer how her messaging relationship with Dumba began and eventually led to an exchange of explicit photos and videos.

She told police her interaction with him began on the last day of school in spring 2021, when Dumba hugged her in the hallway and said, “I know we’ll be good friends one day.”

She said she added him on Snapchat this summer but told police she didn’t know it was him. The teen said her real name was listed on her Snapchat account, but his was not.

She said he added her a few weeks later and she sent him a selfie, then a picture with clothes on, and then pictures in a bikini.

She said Dumba told her her body was “incredible.”

“He knew I was in high school.”

Photos exchanged, teenager reported to police

The teenager said from there the messages became more sexual, moving from Snapchat to text messages. She told police he identified himself as “Mr. Dumba” and sent her a selfie.

She told police he told her: “One line has already been crossed, so screw it.”

She said Dumba asked to see her genitals and then took a photo of herself exposing herself in her underwear. She told police Dumba sent her a picture of his penis.

She said Dumba texted her that he “wanted to have sex with me.”

The teenager said that after certain exchanges, Dumba would express regret or say that he was under the influence of substances.

She told police that on July 15, Dumba asked her to come over, but she didn’t come. She said the messages stopped.

New school year

The girl told police the messages resurfaced just before school started. She said Dumba told her he was in a “happy relationship.”

She told police she was “terrified” of seeing him at school, but eventually talked to him and Dumba helped her open her locker. The girl said they never spoke about the messages they exchanged over the summer.

She said she spoke to him again on September 2, 2021 – the same day as the police statement – this time in his classroom with the door open. She said Dumba told her she “looked nice.”

The video shows the girl and her mother talking after the officer left the room.

The mother said: “(Dumba) ruined his own life.”

“You sent a photo of your face and your name was on your account. He lied to you when he said he didn’t know you,” the mother told her daughter. “He knew who you were.”

Mother testifies

The girl’s mother had testified at the trial on Tuesday.

She described the difficult relationship between her and her daughter, calling it “non-existent.”

During questioning by the prosecution, she told the court that she had never met Dumba and did not know that her daughter had spoken to him.

On Monday, the court heard that police had found photographs of a vagina showing a bed cover.

On Tuesday, the girl’s mother was shown a section of the photo showing only the blanket and confirmed that she had purchased the blanket.

During cross-examination, the mother said she was “hesitant” to appear in court. She said her daughter had mentioned in the months before the charges that she had spoken to Dumba at school, mentioned that he had tattoos and that some of the girls thought he was “hot.”

She said her daughter showed her Dumba’s Instagram account, which featured a slightly modified version of his name.

The mother said her daughter said she and Dumba hugged at school.

The trial, which is scheduled to last a week, will continue on Wednesday, with the teenager continuing to take the stand.