Former Calgary teacher charged in historic sexual assaults

A police vehicle is shown at Calgary Police Service headquarters in Calgary on Thursday, April 9, 2020. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

A former Calgary teacher is facing several charges related to sexual assaults dating back to the 1990s.

Last year, the Calgary Police Service’s sexual assault investigative unit was informed of sexual assaults that allegedly occurred between 1991 and 1995.

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The assaults involved a former teacher who was employed at John Ware School, located at 10020 19 St. S.W.

Two victims came forward to police to report the assaults involving the same teacher while they were students at the school.

One victim, then 12 years old, attended the school in 1991 in Grade 7 and had two classes with the teacher.

“The teacher began to offer additional tutoring sessions after hours and during scheduled breaks, at which time, it is believed he would inappropriately touch the young boy,” Calgary police said in a Wednesday news release.

Assaults also allegedly occurred off-campus in the teacher’s vehicle.

The second victim, who was also 12 years old and in Grade 7 at the time, attended the school from 1993 to 1995. He did not have any classes with the teacher, but they began spending time together off school property.

“Several of the sexual assaults are believed to have taken place at the teacher’s residence and in his vehicle,” police said.

Fred Henry Archer, 80, of High River, Alta., is charged with numerous sexual offences, including:

-Two counts of sexual assault with a child under the age of 16;

-Two counts of sexual interference with a child under the age of 16; and

-One count of invitation to sexual touching with a child under the age of 16.

Archer is scheduled to appear in court on March 6.

“In Canada, there is no time limit on reporting a sexual assault. Anyone who believes they are a victim of sexual assault is encouraged to report it, even if many years have passed since the incident,” police said.

Archer is also the subject of a class-action lawsuit filed by alleged victims.

The lawsuit, which involves three groups of anonymous plaintiffs, is against the Calgary Board of Education (CBE), Archer and the estate of Michael Gregory, another teacher.

According to court documents, the plaintiffs attended John Ware Junior High School in Calgary between 1988 and 2004 and claim they were sexually and physically abused by Archer and Gregory.

An Alberta judge recently ruled that the lawsuit will proceed.

Anyone with information about this incident or those similar is asked to call police at 403-266-1234.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers.