No jail for Vancouver teacher who sexually assaulted former student

Kyle Ledingham, a band teacher at Prince of Wales Secondary School, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a former student.

A former Vancouver high school teacher who sexually assaulted a former student has been sentenced to house arrest.

Kyle Ledingham pleaded guilty last May in provincial court, and was handed a conditional sentence of 15 months on Monday, plus a $100 victim fine surcharge.

Ledingham was teaching band at Prince of Wales Secondary School, in the city’s Arbutus Ridge neighbourhood, when a teenager came forward with allegations against him in 2019.

A police investigation eventually led to Ledingham being charged with three sexual offences, including touching a young person’s body for a sexual purpose.

He ultimately pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault.

The B.C. Prosecution Service told CTV News the former teacher will be confined to his home for the first three months of his sentence, with “few exceptions.”

For the remainder, he will be under curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

He’s also prohibited from having contact with the victim, or from working or volunteering anywhere that would put him in a “position of trust or authority” with people under the age of 18, the BCPS said.

The Vancouver School Board previously confirmed Ledingham has not taught in the district since 2019.

Conditional sentences are served in the community, under the supervision of a probation officer. Offenders caught violating their conditions can be ordered to serve their remaining time behind bars.