Grade 8 teacher accused of sex crimes against students gets bail again

An Ontario teacher accused of multiple sex crimes involving students has been released on bail after being rearrested for allegedly violating her bail conditions, CBC News has learned.

Kelly-Anne Jennings is on unpaid leave from her job as a grade 8 teacher at St. Anthony Catholic Elementary School in Port Hope, Ontario, as she faces 18 sex offense charges, including sexual assault on a boy under the age of 14.

Jennings, 40, is accused of both producing child pornography and distributing sexually explicit material to a minor, according to court documents seen by CBC. All crimes are believed to have occurred between June 2022 and April 2024 in Port Hope, part of Northumberland County, east of Toronto.

Police insp. of Port Hope Katie Andrews told CBC that Jennings spent five days in custody following her most recent arrest on Oct. 24 on charges of failing to comply with a release order.

According to police, Jennings was found to have violated a previous bail condition that prohibited her from visiting places where children are likely to be present, such as a public park or swimming pool.

Andrews said a court in Cobourg, Ont., released the suspect to her bail in late October with additional conditions. According to Andrews, Jennings is now allowed to visit places where children are likely to be present, as long as her own children and her guarantor are present.

Banned from school

Steven O’Sullivan, director of education at the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board, previously told CBC that the teacher had worked at the school since 2016. After her first arrest, Jennings was placed on administrative leave and prohibited from visiting the board. property or interacting with students, O’Sullivan said.

“She does not have access to our facilities or students at this time,” school board spokesman Galen Eagle said in an email Wednesday.

Four minors, whose identities are covered by a publication ban, are named in the lawsuits as alleged victims. Police said in September that there may be more victims.

Jennings was first charged in August after a male student told his mother that a teacher had been touched during a class outing. The mother told police the week of August 21.

WATCH: Teacher accused of sexual assault

The 8th grade teacher is facing charges of sexual abuse allegedly involving students

Teacher Kelly-Anne Jennings, 40, is facing multiple charges, including sexual assault, allegedly committed against current and former students at St. Anthony Catholic Elementary School in Port Hope, Ontario, east of Toronto.

Police later said three more complainants came forward, leading to further charges.

Port Hope police said the 8th grade teacher communicated with her alleged victims through social media platforms, including Snapchat. Interviews with complainants and witnesses revealed “many warning signs”, a senior officer said.

A cellphone video recently shared with CBC appears to show at least five officers arriving at the Peterborough, Ont., home listed on a police report as Jennings’ home.

Her attorney, Paul Socka, previously declined to comment on the case and did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Jennings will return to court in Cobourg in December. The charges against her have not been proven in court.