Regina High School teacher in court for alleged sex offences against 15-year-old girl

WARNING: This story contains disturbing details.

On Monday, the trial of a Regina teacher accused of sexual assault against a 15-year-old student began in the Court of King’s Bench in Regina.

Jeffrey Dumba has pleaded not guilty to five counts, including soliciting a minor to engage in sexual contact, distributing sexually explicit material to a minor and possession of child pornography.

The charges relate to Dumba’s alleged interactions with the teenager between June 23, 2021, and September 2, 2021.

Regina police arrested Dumba on September 3, 2021. He was 49 years old at the time.

The girl’s identity is subject to a publication ban.

Friend who contacted police testifies

A former student who had approached the high school’s safety officer with a concern testified Monday morning.

The student said the girl told her over the summer that she was in a relationship with Dumba.

The girl then showed her nude photos of a man she said was Dumba. The student testified that she recognized the tattoos on Dumba’s legs in the photos, but thought his face was covered.

The 15-year-old told the student that she had exchanged nude photos with the teacher and asked him to “act normally” around Dumba in the hallways.

After hearing the story and seeing the pictures, the student reported this information to the school’s safety officer the next day.

“I felt it was not right,” the student said in court.

The student said the friendship between her and the girl “ended the day I reported Mr Dumba.”

Under cross-examination by Dumba’s attorney Darren Kraushaar, the student told the court that the 15-year-old told her that she had added Dumba on Snapchat.

She said Dumba didn’t know it was her at first.

The student said the girl told her they flirted and exchanged messages, and told her “he saw every inch of me” in photos.

The student said that when Dumba found out he was communicating with a 15-year-old girl, he told her they had to stop exchanging messages.

The student testified that the girl bragged about the relationship and told her she planned to have sex with Dumba and go to his house.

During re-examination, prosecutor Loren Klein asked the witness whether Dumba knew her age but did not know who she was before revealing her identity.

The witness testified in court that the girl told her that Dumba said he wanted to continue the relationship because “the damage was done.” She reiterated that the girl told her there was a plan to meet at Dumba’s house.

Regina Police Counsel Karlene Phillips testified Monday afternoon.

After the school’s security officer contacted several police units, Phillips was the first officer to speak with the 15-year-old girl. She said the girl initially told her the allegations were “rumors,” but shortly afterward told her they were “all true.”

Phillips testified that the girl agreed to give police her cellphone, after which they found photos of a man “with his penis hanging out.”

During the investigation, Phillips said, police found photos of a vagina that showed a comforter. Phillips said police received a comforter with the same description from the girl’s family.

Sergeant Casey Ward, head of the Regina Police Department and head of the investigation, testified Monday afternoon that he visited the girl’s home on the day the investigation began. He told the court that the girl’s mother asked, “Is this about Dumba?”

He said she later said her daughter “talks to him too much.”

Ward questioned Dumba after his arrest and said Dumba was wearing shorts at the time. Ward said a photo of a man with an exposed penis had a leg tattoo that matched Dumba’s.

The trial will continue on Tuesday.