Gary Lester Evans, a 52-year-old Elmore Stoutt High School teacher convicted last year of indecently assaulting a 13-year-old female student, will serve 12 months in Her Majesty’s Prison, a magistrate ruled last Thursday.
Magistrate Tamia Richards handed down the sentence despite the pleas of his attorney, J.S. Archibald, QC. The lawyer had asserted that his client should not be incarcerated because he has serious health problems. Mr. Evans could have faced a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
At trial, the student testified that on June 4, 2010, she visited Mr. Evans’ classroom after school to deliver a letter to him. During a conversation about her schoolwork, Mr. Evans led her by the hand and allegedly tried to have her sit on his lap, Ms. Richards said in December.
Prosecutors said Mr. Evans then proceeded to rub his hands over her breasts and genitals through her school uniform, according to Ms. Richards.
The girl told him to stop and eventually tried to hit him with a piece of metal she had in her hand, the magistrate added.