Web Desk
The trial of a Kelowna teacher accused of child luring is ongoing at the B.C. Provincial Court as of April 1.
Jeffery Allan Jennens has pleaded not guilty to charges of telecommunicating to lure a minor under 18.
The accusation stems from a 2023 investigation by the Kelowna Sex Crimes Unit.
On the second day of the trial, Crown Counsel presented a video recording of Jennens’ police interview following his arrest in May 2023.
At the time of the alleged incident, Jennens was a teacher at Rutland Senior Secondary.
He admitted to communicating with the victim, a student, via Instagram for school-related discussions, including resume assistance.
The victim, referred to as A.P. due to a publication ban, was a minor during the alleged offense.
Jennens stated that the nature of their conversation changed when A.P. posted what he described as “basically naked” photos on Instagram.
He claimed he was attempting to explain why such images should not be shared online, calling the situation a “miscommunication.”
The court learned that their messages were exchanged using Instagram’s vanish mode, which automatically deletes messages once a user logs out.
Authorities seized Jennens’ phone during the investigation, and he voluntarily provided his passcode.
When questioned about any concerning content, he pointed to A.P.’s Instagram posts, insisting he neither sent nor received explicit photos.
During his recorded police statement, Jennens stressed that the full context of their interactions needed to be reviewed, adding, “if you look at it from one snapshot, I’m f*****.”
When asked about his concerns at the time, Jennens told officers he was worried about his job, family, and reputation.
Jennens, who is not currently in custody, attended court and remained seated with his head down, reviewing notes as the police video played.
The trial remains ongoing.
