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Daughter's play date behind latest legal woes for former teacher guilty of sex crimes

Court tries to restore sentence for convicted teen murderer

A play date for a nine-year-old is behind the latest legal problems for disgraced former Nova Scotia junior high teacher Sarah Allt Harnish.

The 37-year-old woman, who taught at Five Bridges Junior High in Hubley, N.S., has previously pleaded guilty to sex crimes involving a teenage boy and is free on conditions until her sentencing, set for September.

It's those conditions that landed her back in Halifax provincial court Tuesday as she faced trial on allegations she breached her release order last October.

After she was charged with invitation to sexual touching in March 2016, Allt was ordered to stay away from places where children were present (with some exceptions) and was forbidden from being around a child unless their parent was there.

On Tuesday, the court was told that Allt was subsequently spotted dropping off and picking up her children at a Halifax elementary school. Other parents called the school to question whether, given her release conditions, she should be doing that. The school principal called Halifax Regional Police.

Police interviewed Allt. When they found out that one of her daughter's nine-year-old friends had been at Allt's Halifax apartment, they charged her with breaching her conditions. She spent three days in jail before her lawyer was able to secure her release.

Allt testified Tuesday that she misunderstood her release conditions. She said she thought as long as any other adult was present, there would be no problem with the girl being in her apartment. Allt's then-husband, Adam Harnish, was there during both the play date and a subsequent sleepover.

Allt and Harnish are now separated and he no longer lives in their apartment.

Did not tell other mother

Allt admitted under cross-examination that she has not told her daughter, who is now 10, about the criminal charges she faces.

She also admitted she didn't tell the mother of her daughter's friend about her legal difficulties at that time. She said she'd only known the woman for a little over a month and didn't feel comfortable confiding in her.

Crown prosecutor Glenn Hubbard argued Tuesday that Allt should be convicted of violating her release conditions because having the girl in her home without her mother present constituted a breach.

Allt's lawyer, Joel Pink, said it was simply an honest mistake and his client did not mean to breach her conditions.

Judge Gregory Lenehan reserved his decision on the case until September, two weeks before Allt is to be sentenced on the original charges.

The Halifax Regional School Board says Allt is no longer a teacher at the board.