The sexual assault trial of a former teacher at Georges Primeau School in Morinville got under way on Monday with his two alleged victims taking the stand.
Michael Dubas is facing two charges of sexual assault, two of sexual exploitation and two charges of sexual interference.
The two female students testified about incidents they claim happened several months apart, both involving Dubas, who was a teacher at the school for several years.
The student who testified on Monday said she had been in a hallway putting up posters when Dubas came up behind her and put his hand down her shirt and under her bra, touching her breast.
The incident happened in February 2009 and the girl did not come forward until after a second student came forward in October.
The girl said she considered Dubas a good teacher up until the incident, but afterward their interactions became "awkward."
The second student, who testified on Tuesday, described an incident last October where Dubas came up behind her at a locker and put his arm over her shoulder and grabbed her breast, overtop her clothes.
She told the court he then walked down the hall, before turning back to her and smiling. She said she found the look disturbing.
"It was just kind of creepy when he looked back."
The girl initially told only a few friends, whom she said persuaded her to come forward and tell school officials.
After telling a teacher, the matter was taken to a school counsellor and principal, before the police were brought in.
Defence lawyer Brian Vail has focused on the details of both girls' stories. He accused both of wanting to see Dubas fired, allegations both girls have denied.
While challenging the second witness on Tuesday, Vail suggested the allegations had been part of a plot the two victims and a third girl had created to have Dubas dismissed, an accusation the girl flatly denied.
Vail suggested she had talked about such a plan on many different occasions.
Video
After the second student testified about her interactions with Dubas, Vail confronted the student with video surveillance of the hallway where the incident is alleged to have taken place, on the date it is alleged to have taken place.
The video was visible to the court gallery and showed a long hallway at the school. The girl indicated the incident had happened towards the end of the hallway, relatively far away from the camera.
Vail challenged the girl, after she admitted she could not see Dubas stopping or approaching anyone in the hallway.
He suggested that based on the video evidence the incident had not in fact happened. While tearing up she insisted it had.
"It happened."
When Crown prosecutor Karen Thorsrud returned to the subject of the video, the girl said the locker was further down the hall than she initially indicated.
She also said that while she couldn't see Dubas doing anything in the video, she also could not see herself or her friend.
"I cannot see myself in the video."
Vail asked a few more questions before the girl admitted that even further down the hall she could not see Dubas approaching her or anyone else.
When the charges first came forward Dubas was removed from the school. Greater St. Albert Catholic School Board superintendent David Keohane said at the time that he was not being suspended, but was not teaching.
The trial is set to continue on for the rest of the week.
