Martial arts teacher pleads guilty to harassing woman

**PizDoff** · Posted On: 8/16/2010 11:54pm

Martial arts teacher pleads guilty to harassing woman

A Grimsby martial arts teacher pleaded guilty to criminal harassment Friday, in a case involving a woman with whom he once had an intimate relationship.

Shane Weaver, 36, will be sentenced Sept. 20 after admitting he engaged in threatening conduct, causing the woman to fear for her safety.

Assistant Crown attorney Tom Jacob said the Smithville man, a black belt martial arts instructor, met the woman through his Christie St. school.

When she was 18, they began an intimate relationship that included taking sexually explicit photos with mutual knowledge and consent.

After the relationship was over, Weaver approached the woman on July 23, 2009 with a typed letter and the explicit photos, suggesting she'd have to meet him or her social status would be ruined.

She went to the police and Weaver acknowledged what had happened.

Police searched his computer and found a video presentation that contained threats to the woman, her status and her reputation. It contained photos of her in sexual poses.

Jacob made the letter an exhibit, as well as captions from a powerpoint presentation found on the computer.

"Given the history between the two, the letter tendered and the captions, it would cause (the woman) concern for her safety," Jacob said.

The woman's identity is protected under a publicaton ban imposed by the court.

Weaver was originally charged with sexual exploitation, because it was believed the woman was under 18. The charge is laid in cases involving minors whether the contact is consensual or not.

Weaver operates Red Griffin Martial Arts in Grimsby and won the business award of excellence from the chamber of commerce in 2007. He's also given anti-bullying talks at public schools, talking about his experiences being bullied as a child and how he turned them into a positive.

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/A...aspx?e=2712514

Yes, it says publicaton on the article.

**PizDoff** · Posted On: 9/21/2010 1:13pm

Conditional discharge for martial arts teacher
Shane Weaver harassed his former lover
Posted By Karena Walter, Standard Staff

A Grimsby martial arts teacher convicted of criminal harassment was given a conditional discharge Monday and told to stay away from his former lover.

Judge Peter Wilkie said Shane Weaver still has "significant" issues he needs to address.

"It's something that Mr. Weaver needs to look at, if he hasn't already, into as to what dark side in his personality would cause him to do this," the judge said.

"He has a very pleasant public face, but there are other issues."

But Wilkie said the conditional discharge — which means Weaver has pleaded guilty but won't have a criminal record — was appropriate.

He'll be on probation for two years and is not allowed to contact the woman or her current boyfriend.

Weaver, 36, pleaded guilty Aug. 13 to criminal harassment of the 18-year-old woman with whom he was having an affair and met through his Christie St. school. The two took sexually explicit photos with mutual consent.

After the relationship soured, Weaver approached the woman in July 2009 with a typed letter and the explicit photos. He said if she didn't meet him to discuss certain issues, he would send the photos into cyberspace.

The court heard Weaver told the woman she had to meet him at his house for an hour of undivided attention.

Weaver's lawyer Dean Paquette said it was an isolated act due to bad judgement and an addiction to pain medication that Weaver has since overcome.

Paquette filed 40 letters of reference speaking to Weaver's positive character.

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/A...aspx?e=2765256