Former student says Ont. music teacher betrayed her trust, Crown seeks 5 years in prison for sexual offence

< warm>WARNING: This clause references sexual development and may strike those who feature experienced​ ​​​sexual violence or know someone impacted by it.

The victim of a former music producer-director told his Kitchener, Ont., sentencing hearing she thought Steven Lehmann "could be the father I never had," but a sexual relationship that developed in her teens has shattered her life.

The Crown is seeking a five-year prison term for Lehmann, a former music producer, director and teacher from Woolwich Township who on Dec. 8 pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation.

An agreed statement of facts says Lehmann began giving the girl music lessons when she was age 10 in 2002 and that they began a sexual relationship when she was a teen.

Lehmann, now 54, helped found the Renaissance School of the Arts in Waterloo and worked with K-W Glee.

The agreed statement of facts given to the judge Tuesday outlined a timeline of the sexual exploitation between Lehmann and the victim, who cannot be named under a court-ordered publication ban. It said the sexual relationship began between late 2008 and mid-2009 when she was 16.

He was arrested on April 10, 2024, and charged with sexual assault and sexual exploitation. That March, the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) received a report about a sexual assault that took place between 2008 and 2009.

WRPS laid additional charges in July 2024 — two counts of sexual assault relating to an incident in 2008.

At the sentencing hearing on Tuesday in the Waterloo Region Courthouse, Lehmann's victim spoke of how the sexual relationship has impacted her life, saying it was like a "finger being held on that chapter of my life."

She said she was a child who wanted to be seen and had hoped Lehmann "could be the father I never had." She also said his actions were a betrayal of her trust.

As a result, she said, she hasn't been able to have meaningful relationships with others, and has carried shame and feelings of worthlessness.

She said her diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression has impacted her ability to attend work regularly, and she's sometimes had to choose between paying for her therapy or buying groceries.

In a short statement, Lehmann apologized, saying he didn't appreciate at the time the harm his actions had on the victim.

"I am truly sorry for what I did," he said. "I am ashamed."

He went on to apologize to his family and "the people that put their trust in me."

According to the agreed facts, Lehmann and his music student used MSN Messenger to keep in touch and eventually used text messages.

Court heard the girl was frequently unsupervised at home and that she told Lehmann she had been sexually abused in the past. She felt as though she was emotionally dependent on Lehmann, the agreed facts say.

They say Lehmann would pick the girl up from her workplace or high school during her lunch break and drive her to different locations — his office, home and, on some occasions, his parents' home or her home when her family was away — to have sexual intercourse.

The two stopped seeing each other in mid-2009 when she wanted to change her workplace and asked Lehmann to leave her alone.

In asking the judge for a five-year prison term for Lehmann, Crown attorney Anthony Gallo cited similar cases that resulted in the same sentence.

Gallo said the judicial system needs to send a strong message of the profound harm that sexual violence has on children and the community. He argued Lehmann's breach of trust included grooming, manipulating and using the victim for his own sexual gratification during a vulnerable time in her life.

The lawyer acknowledged Lehmann has no prior record and that his guilty plea was an admission of wrongdoing.

Lehmann's friends, colleagues and family — including his wife and mother — wrote letters on his behalf to the court, describing his overall good character. But Gallo argued those letters aren't "meaningful enough."

Defence lawyer David Humphrey argued Lehmann should only serve two or three years in prison, saying the cases cited by the Crown were more serious than the crime Lehmann plead guilty to in December.

While the defence agrees a breach of trust occurred, Humphrey said, a prison sentence of two to three years would be fair.

He said the "impressive collection" of letters written about Lehmann's character showed his behaviour in this case was "out of character for him" and he has since taken full accountability.

The hearing was adjourned to March 4, when Justice Nicole Elizabeth Redgate is expected to hand down a decision.

If you’re affected by this report, you can look for mental health support through resources in your province or territory. If you’re in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911. For support in your area, you can look for crisis lines and local services via the Ending Sexual Violence Association of Canada database. ​​

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