Charges laid against Quebec City teens accused of sharing explicit pictures of classmates

Charges have been laid against five boys accused of exchanging sexually explicit photos of fellow students at Séminaire des Pères Maristes, a Quebec City private school.  

One of the boys has been charged with sexual assault, luring, possession of child pornography and sharing an intimate image without consent.

The other four boys face these charges, respectively:

• Luring, distribution of child pornography, sharing an intimate image without consent.
• Luring, extortion.
• Luring, extortion, sharing an intimate image without consent.
• Luring.

They will appear in court in the coming weeks, according to Quebec's director of criminal and penal prosecutions (DPCP).

The Crown said two other boys involved will face consequences outside the court system, according to the extrajudicial sanctions program.

"In addition, they must respect the conditions to refrain from communicating directly or indirectly with the complainants, and refrain from harassing them," a statement from the DPCP says.

"The DPCP has informed school officials of the conditions imposed." 

Protesters decry reinstating students

In May, six male students at the high school, who were 12 to 13 years old at the time, were arrested by Quebec City police, accused of possession and distribution of child pornography.

They were suspended by the school for six days, but were allowed to finish their year in a separate building.

In its statement, the DPCP said the charges don't necessarily prevent the boys from going to school, but that it will be discussed. 

The school's administration announced in June that the boys would be reinstated in the main building in the upcoming school year, prompting an uproar and a 3,000-strong petition decrying the decision.

Last Friday, Quebec Superior Court Justice Daniel Dumais ordered the school to reinstate the boys because he said the school administration bowed to public pressure, after a petition was launched against their readmittance.

On the first day of school, Tuesday, a group of protesters gathered in front, bearing signs that read "Stop rape culture" and other similar slogans.

Three of the boys and two of the three alleged victims have opted to attend school elsewhere.

With files from Catou MacKinnon