Trial against Jeffrey Dumba postponed until October

The trial of a former Regina high school teacher accused of sexually exploiting a 15-year-old student has been postponed until October.

On Friday, Jeffrey Dumba was in the witness stand again. On the second day of questioning by the prosecution, the 52-year-old stuck to his protestation of innocence.

Dumba faces five charges of sexual exploitation stemming from incidents in the summer of 2021.

He has pleaded not guilty to all five counts.

Dumba told the court that he was active on social media in the summer of 2021, especially on the Snapchat app.

He said he portrayed himself younger than he was on the app so students couldn’t find him on social media.

According to Dumba, it was the student who added him in the app.

In his testimony, he said the couple exchanged messages primarily through Snapchat and eventually communication switched to iPhone messages.

He said he believed he was exchanging messages and nude photos with a woman in her twenties.

Dumba said he regretted not telling police that the victim had told him she was 20 years old.

When he received an unfiltered picture of the woman, he knew she was not in her twenties.

He told the court that he had used drugs and drunk alcohol in the summer of 2021.

After confirming the victim’s identity, there were no further sexual conversations and he deleted all messages, he explained.

Following the cross-examination, the defense invited another witness to testify, a forensic pathologist.

The trial was adjourned to October 28 for closing arguments.