Court hears disturbing details of teen’s sexual exploitation by Waterloo, Ont. music instructor

Steven Lehmann, the founder of KW Glee, has pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation. CTV’s Krista Simpson reports.

Warning: This story contains disturbing details of a sexual nature involving a teen.

A former music instructor in Waterloo, Ont., and one of the founders of KW Glee, has admitted to sexual exploitation of a teen girl.

Steven Lehmann pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation in December while three other charges of sexual assault were withdrawn at the request of the Crown.

Lehmann was co-founder of the Renaissance School of the Arts in Waterloo and KW Glee, though court heard he is no longer part of those businesses because of the criminal charges against him.

The agreed statement of facts described how Lehmann communicated with a teen he knew through a messenger app.

The girl was aged 16 and 17 at the time, while Lehmann was 20 years older.

At times, he parked his vehicle outside her parents’ home in a spot where he could see inside the girl’s bedroom. He would message her from there and joked about being her stalker.

He eventually suggested they begin a relationship, though the teen said she did not want anything romantic.

The agreed statement of facts described how Lehmann progressed from touching the teen to having sex with her, despite saying she was scared.

Court also heard how, over several months in 2008 and 2009, Lehmann had sex with the teen about 40 times.

In some cases, he would pick her up on her lunch break for intercourse and then drop her back at school afterwards.

The girl, who is now a woman, shared a victim impact statement in court. Her name is still protected by a publication ban. She described the far-reaching impact of being used by someone she looked up to as a father figure.

“He betrayed that trust and used it to manipulate and exploit me for his own gratification,” she said.

The woman also described how she struggled to trust others in friendships and relationships as a result of Lehmann’s actions, as well as the pain she felt.

“The feelings of shame I had about what had happened to me, and believing it was something I chose, and the feelings of worthlessness I struggled with from that conclusion.”

Sentencing submissions

Both the Crown and defence attorneys agreed Lehmann should be sentenced to time in prison.

The Crown asked for five years behind bars, given the gravity of Lehmann’s actions.

“The degree of physical interference is significant, rooted in a power imbalance, created through grooming and manipulation,” prosecutor Anthony Gallo said in court.

The defence asked for a sentence of two to three years, noting it was the defendant’s first offence.

Lehmann’s lawyer, David Humphrey, also argued his client had lost all of the music-based businesses he had built before the charges were laid.

“He will never think of transgressing again,” Humphrey told court.

Lehmann apologizes

When given an opportunity to address the court, Lehmann said he was truly sorry for what he did.

“I am ashamed and I apologize to her for the harm I have caused.”

The now 54-year-old added, “I’m also sincerely sorry for the harm that has come to my family, friends and my community that placed their trust in me. I will spend the rest of my life working hard to regain the trust of those I have harmed.”

Lehmann is expected to learn his sentence on March 4.