Former teacher, coach sentenced
McNutt receives 15 years in prison for molesting 34 boys
HALIFAX — One of Michael McNutt's victims is glad at least some the “torture” is over after the former teacher and sports coach was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison.
“I've been an emotional wreck for over 30 years,” the man, whose identity is protected, said outside Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Halifax.
“It's been in and out of my life and continually will be, but just hoping for some peace now. That's all.”
McNutt molested 34 boys who considered him a confidant, a kind of father figure and trusted friend through the 1970s and '80s.
Justice Jamie Campbell read the particulars of all of the crimes into the record as part of his decision Tuesday, leaving out the names of the victims, who ranged in age from 10 to 15 at the time.
Without getting into the specific details of the assaults, the offences followed a similar pattern: McNutt, in his role as teacher, sports coach or family friend, would invite the boys for parties and overnight stays at his home, in his hotel room during tournament trips or while camping and give them alcohol.
Often, the victims would wake up to McNutt molesting them. Sometimes the incidents involved more than one boy at a time. He also would sometimes have them fill out a sexually suggestive questionnaire.
The victim said after the sentencing that he was relieved McNutt's day of reckoning had finally come.
“I'm very pleased that things went the way they did and now we can just heal and move on, and work from here,” he said.
“A whole lot of emotions. I'm not really sure where to place them at right now, but they were all over the place. But I'm just glad it's finally coming to an end for a lot of people. And hopefully, a lot of people have some peace and comfort.”
The man said 30 years ago, he thought he was the only one who was abused and he was shocked to find out there were so many boys affected.
He said he was hoping for a sentence in the 100-year range. In fact, Campbell said that if all of the sentences for each individual offence were added together, the total would be 120 years.
But the Criminal Code of Canada sentencing guidelines mandate that such an extreme sentence should not be applied and through the “totality” principle, judges should instead consider a sentence in line with what would apply for the most serious of one of the offences.
Considering some of the prison time could be served concurrently and some consecutively, the judge applied sentences for the crimes in four groups: the first group totalled one year, the second group three years, the fourth group four years and the final group seven years.
Altogether, he said in explaining his decision, 15 years was appropriate.
McNutt, now 67, pleaded guilty in June to 20 counts of indecent assault, 10 counts of sexual assault and five counts of committing an act of gross indecency in molesting 34 boys between 1971 and 1989.
Crown attorney Mark Heerema had asked for the 15-year sentence. Defence lawyer Colin Coady had countered that a three- to five-year term would be more appropriate, considering McNutt's age, health – he is a lung cancer survivor and suffers from diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder – and the fact that he pleaded guilty, showing remorse.
McNutt took part in sexual offender treatment after a 1994 conviction, for which he has since been pardoned. He has also maintained sobriety in that time and said many of the offences came while he was in the throes of alcoholism.