Pictou County teacher lets lawyer appear for him on charges of assaulting students

A Pictou County teacher accused of assaulting four students last month opted not to attend court Monday, letting a lawyer appear on his behalf.

Matthew Robert Donahoe, 53, of Bible Hill was arrested Sept. 23 and arraigned in Pictou provincial court the next day on a total of 10 charges: four counts of assault, two counts of assault by choking, and single counts of sexual interference, sexual assault, assault with a weapon, and administering a noxious substance.

The Crown consented to Donahoe’s release Sept. 24 on a $10,000 bail order that requires him to live with his surety in Dartmouth and observe a midnight-6 a.m. curfew.

Halifax lawyer Ron Pizzo appeared in court for Donahoe on Monday and asked that the case be adjourned for four or five weeks to allow him to obtain and review the evidence.

Judge Cameron MacKeen imposed a publication ban on the identities of the complainants at the request of Crown attorney Allison Avery and scheduled the case to return to court Nov. 23.

RCMP said in a news release Sept. 24 that they received information Sept. 10 that a teacher had allegedly assaulted a student at Dr. W.A. MacLeod Consolidated School in Riverton. An investigation identified other victims of similar assaults, RCMP said.

Donahoe faces charges of sexual interference, sexual assault and assault involving a child under the age of 14. RCMP allege he touched the student for a sexual purpose with a part of his body.

The teacher is accused of assaulting another young person, assaulting them by choking, and assaulting them with a weapon, a chair.

Donahoe is also accused of assaulting a third youngster, assaulting them by choking, and administering a noxious substance to them. That substance is identified in court documents as lorazepam, a drug used to treat anxiety.

He faces a single charge of assault involving a fourth student.

The Central Chignecto Regional Centre for Education cut off Donahoe’s access to the school after the initial complaint.

In a statement Sept. 25, a spokeswoman for the regional centre for education said the charges against Donahoe were “deeply troubling.”

“I can assure you that CCRCE takes these matters very seriously,” Jennifer Rogers said.

Rogers said Donahoe had been placed on unpaid leave.

MacGillivray Law issued a news release last month saying it intends to file a class action against the regional centre for education and Donahoe in Nova Scotia Supreme Court on behalf of students who were allegedly abused.

Donahoe’s bail order prohibits him from having contact with the four alleged victims and six other individuals, being within 500 metres of their homes, schools or workplaces, and being on the premises of Dr. W.A. MacLeod Consolidated School.

He cannot have contact with anyone under the age of 18 or attend any public park, school ground, daycare centre, swimming pool, playground, skating rink, community centre, recreation centre, or anywhere persons under 18 are likely to be present.

Donahoe is not to possess any weapons and can only have a knife for the purpose of food preparation or consumption, or in the immediate course of his employment.

He also must check in with Pictou County RCMP by telephone every Friday.