A former guidance counsellor at a school in Prince Edward Island has been sentenced to five years in prison for sexual offences involving a student. Bethany Jean Toombs is in her early 40s. The victim – whose identity is protected under a publication ban – was 14 years old when they were assigned to her caseload. “This offence involved a profound and egregious breach of trust,” reads a written decision from the Supreme Court of P.E.I. “In her professional capacity as a guidance counselor, the offender was responsible for helping this student.” Toombs was a teacher and a member of a support team for students struggling with depression, anxiety, and family issues. According to the court’s written decision in August, “The victim was a student with high needs and came from a ‘difficult family background.’” The youth struggled academically and socially. When they entered Grade 9, Toombs worked with the school administration to modify their scheduled counselling sessions, including private ones. Toombs began to engage the victim in acts of sexual intercourse. The court says the touching started with hugs and escalated over the school term. Over the summer, the court heard Toombs and the victim engaged in around 30 to 50 acts of sexual intercourse. “In addition, the offender provided the victim with alcohol and cannabis, and the offender and the victim often consumed the alcohol and cannabis together,” reads the courts agreed statement of facts. After an argument, the court says the student punched Toombs and she hit her face on a windowsill. They attended the RCMP detachment separately on Sept. 14, 2024, and Toombs provided a “cautioned witness statement.” She told police no sexual contact had ever occurred and said the youth threatened to “make allegations” if she came forward about the violence. The youth was charged for assaulting the counsellor, but Toombs was formally arrested on Sept. 24, 2024, and she conceded sexual contact had occurred. She alleged the youth coerced her through threats and violence, but the Crown argues she committed a highly aggravating sexual offence, pointing to the breach of trust, the duration and frequency of the encounters, the vulnerability of the victim and her providing drugs and alcohol. “The offender’s position as a guidance counselor was the very role that allowed her to stand in the position of trust ‘which she profoundly violated,’” stated the Crown. Toombs’ defence counsel submits she doesn’t minimize the severity of the offence. The five-year sentence was a joint submission from the Crown and defence, which the court ultimately decided in favour of. “The offender is embarking not only on a lengthy custodial sentence, but also, I hope, embarking on both significant self-reflection and rehabilitation,” writes Chief Justice Tracey Clements in the decision. “And while the decision may mark the end of one chapter for the victim, there will undoubtedly be many more chapters, and I expect a very long journey, which – I hope – involves healing.” In addition to the sentence, Toombs is prohibited from contacting the victim for the next 10 years or being within 500 meters of their residence. She’s also prohibited from employment or volunteer work that involves being in a position of trust or authority towards persons under 16 years of age. Toombs sentence comes with a DNA order, a weapons prohibition order, and a 20-year order pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Act. For more P.E.I. news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
