Aleksandr Plehanov, a former substitute teacher accused of sexually assaulting several Tri-City elementary school students, carried on his behaviour despite an investigation and warnings from district administrators about inappropriate touching.
During her closing arguments Tuesday in Plehanov's trial, Crown prosecutor Wendy Van Tongeren Harvey said that incidents continued and escalated even after Plehanov was told he would have to see a psychologist about his "boundary issues."
"He approached children in ways that could easily be seen as inappropriate," Van Tongeren Harvey told the court.
"Crown contends that the touching went beyond inappropriate and necessitates criminal charges."
During the trial, teaching colleagues testified that Plehanov lacked proper classroom management abilities. All of the students he allegedly touched described the teacher as "fun" and said he allowed them to play games for much of the day.
Defence lawyer Lisa Jean Helps has suggested throughout the trial that Plehanov had "disastrous" classroom management skills and misunderstood the boundaries between teachers and students.
But Van Tongeren Harvey suggested his style of teaching was a factor in his alleged crimes. She said Plehanov approached the students more as friends rather than as an authority figure, allowing him to build a trusting relationship with them.
"The relationship was more of a friend relationship... and eventually an intimate relationship rather than a teacher-student relationship," she said.
Plehanov is facing five charges of sexual interference and five charges of sexual assault involving girls who were aged seven and eight at the time of the incidents, which date back to January 2008. He is also facing a charge of criminal harassment in relation to a June 2010 incident, when he was alleged to have been spotted sitting in his car outside of one of the girl's homes.
Van Tongeren Harvey said incidents of inappropriate touching began soon after Plehanov started substitute teaching in School District 43 in 2007. He continued teaching despite repeated warnings from school administrators and an investigation into his behaviour that began in 2009.
The investigation culminated in February 2010 with a finding of misconduct and Plehanov received a letter stating he would be required to see a psychologist. He met with the psychologist once and also met with a co-ordinator to help him with his classroom management skills.
A month after the investigation concluded, three girls from a Grade 2/3 class at Coquitlam's Glen elementary school were allegedly touched by Plehanov. Two girls said he had rubbed their bottoms and pelvic area while a third student said he touched her shoulder and rubbed her bottom while checking her math work.
One of the parents of the Glen elementary girls contacted the Coquitlam RCMP and Plehanov was arrested on March 18, 2010.
Plehanov's trial wrapped up June 21 and the defence and Crown lawyers are now giving their closing submissions to the judge.
Van Tongeren was expected to wrap up her closing arguments after The Tri-City News' print deadline and the defence was to continue its submissions Wednesday.
