A former teacher from St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Secondary School in North Vancouver, BC, was arrested for allegations of sexual assault against a student. ."Our priorities right now are to speak with those who have not yet come forward, to gather all available evidence, and to support the victim as we undergo this process," said North Vancouver RCMP spokesperson Const. Mansoor Sahak in a Monday press release. .The release said former St. Thomas Aquinas teacher Anthony Vesco was charged with sexual assault and sexual exploitation on May 2, and a Canada-wide warrant was issued. It said Vesco was arrested on June 6 by police in Windsor, ON, and released on bail. .It is alleged during his tenure as a teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas, Vesco sexually assaulted a student while he was working at the school from 2017 to 2019. .The release acknowledged police are aware there has been communication through social media between some people who might have been impacted or had knowledge of the incident. Investigators are asking those people to speak with police. .Sahak said North Vancouver RCMP know “this will be upsetting news for members of the community.” For some, he said hearing about this might reignite memories of past trauma. .“If you are a victim of sexual assault, please, reach out for support,” he said. .“We want you to know that we are here, we will listen to you, and we will support you.” .Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact police by calling (604) 985-1311 and quoting file #22-1350.
