Former P.E.I. substitute pleads guilty to child porn, sexual touching at a primary school [Video]

WARNING: This story contains descriptions of child sex abuse and other content that may be disturbing to readers.

A man who worked as a substitute teacher on Prince Edward Island as recently as last year has pleaded guilty to charges related to child sex abuse images and an incident where he sexually touched a girl in a classroom in front of other students. 

Matthew Alan Craswell, 40, was first charged last summer with possession and distribution of child pornography after the U.S.-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children flagged his internet activity 

New information came to light during the RCMP investigation into Craswell, details of which were shared in court Tuesday as Craswell pleaded guilty to four charges. 

‘Like a pet’

In an agreed statement of facts, the court heard Craswell began working as a substitute teacher for the Public Schools Branch in P.E.I. in 2023.

He was substituting at Glen Stewart Primary School in Stratford in the spring of 2024 …