Decades-old secrets surface as former North Vancouver teacher found guilty of sexual offences

WARNING: This article contains details of sexual abuse.

The victims are all middle-aged men now: urban planners, computer scientists, technology salespeople — men with jobs, titles and families of their own.

But long-ago they were all boys — Grade 6 students who had the misfortune to fall under the gaze of a popular elementary school teacher named Brian Meilicke Moore, a predator who dazzled them with ski trips, beer and "games" played in the dark that scarred them for life. 

Those decades-old secrets spilled out in North Vancouver Provincial Court this week as a judge found the now-85-year-old Moore guilty of nine historic sexual offences. 

Moore worked at Upper Lynn Valley elementary school from 1976 until his resignation in February 1982. 

Judge Robert Hamilton called the evidence of the complainants and witnesses "extensive," acknowledging the length and detail of his 66-page decision.

He also noted one recurring theme that "amounted to some evidence of grooming" — Moore's insistence the boys "be naked during certain activities," ranging from communal showers after swimming, to water-skiing off the back of his boat and climbing into sleeping bags at night.

Eight of the counts were for indecent assaults dating between 1976 and 1982, under the old wording of a section of the Criminal Code that has since been updated. The ninth — a conviction of touching for a sexual purpose — happened between 2005 and 2007.

Dennis Cooper — one of two victims who argued to lift publication bans on their names — told CBC News Friday the verdict was "bittersweet." He said 12 men accused Moore of molesting them and the judge delivered not guilty verdicts on three of the charges.

"That would be really hard for those guys to hear that," he said.

"The judge made a decision on those three based on an inconsistency of evidence between what was reported to police and what was testified in court. But that inconsistency doesn't mean that it didn't happen. We all believe you."

Cooper has proved a galvanizing force among the victims, bringing a proposed class-action lawsuit against Moore on behalf of dozens of alleged victims. 

The judge noted that Moore's lawyer asked most of the witnesses about the case, and whether they had spoken to other complainants as Moore — who didn't testify — implied collusion between victims.

But the judge found the allegation "unfounded."