B.C. teacher handed jail sentence for sexually exploiting student, refusing court order to stop meeting her
Bradley Furman had sex with 17-year-old student in his classroom and at his home
A B.C. judge has sentenced former West Kelowna, B.C., high school teacher Bradley Furman to 38 months of jail time for pursuing a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old female student and breaching multiple court orders to stop contacting her after his arrest.
Furman, 30, was arrested in 2018 after school administrators at Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary found out about the relationship with the student and contacted the RCMP.
During his sentencing hearing, the court heard how Furman developed a relationship with the "vulnerable" teen after she joined a Dungeons and Dragons club he had started at the school.
They started communicating on social media platforms, eventually exchanging thousands of messages, the court heard.
Around the time of spring break in 2018, Furman was having sexual intercourse and oral sex with the student in a portable classroom on school grounds and at his home.
"He failed in his duty as a teacher to nurture and protect someone whose parents had entrusted to him to care for. Instead, he exploited her for his personal satisfaction," said Judge Clarke Burnett at Furman's sentencing hearing.
Repeatedly broke court orders to contact student
After Furman's arrest he was ordered by a judge to no longer contact the student or her sister.
Burnett said Furman almost immediately disobeyed the orders by visiting the student at her work and continuing the relationship in person and online for more than a year, continuing to have sex with her.
Despite getting caught and further orders from the court, he continued to contact the student and urged her to destroy evidence of their online communications.
"His conduct requires a sentence that brings home to him and others the importance of respecting the courts orders." Burnett said.
Teen now suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts
The teen eventually broke off the relationship in 2019. Burnett said she has suffered from depression, suicidal thoughts and a fractured relationship with her family because of the sexual exploitation.
Burnett sentenced Furman to 20 months for sexually exploiting the student and an additional 18 months for nine breaches of court orders after his arrest.
He was credited with 11 months already spent in custody, meaning he has a further two years and three months jail time to serve.
Furman is a former graduate of Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary and got his teaching degree in 2012.
He is no longer employed by the school or the Central Okanagan School District.
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