A former teacher in Alberta who is now the principal of a school in Newfoundland has been charged with sexual offences against a young person dating back to the mid-1990s, when he was working in the Fort Vermilion School Division. Alberta RCMP say George Sheppard, 51, of St. Bernard's, N.L., is charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a young person, invitation to sexual touching, sexual interference and sexual assault. A spokesperson for the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District said officials became aware Friday that an employee has been charged with offences in Alberta. "The safety of our students is the priority of the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District and we take this matter extremely seriously." (Newfoundland & Labrador English School District website)Mike McMann, superintendent of the Fort Vermilion School Division, told CBC News on Friday that Sheppard had been a teacher at one of the division's schools in the 1990s.

Source: CBC News October 27, 2017 20:23 UTC