Strapp’s lawyer, Ian Patey, filed the appeal on Tuesday and asked that the convictions be overturned and a new trial ordered. Patey outlined five reasons for the appeal, most of which concern Judge Phyllis Harris’s review of the evidence and challenge the victim’s credibility. The appeal alleges that Harris failed to resolve inconsistencies in the victim’s testimony, misinterpreted or ignored evidence from the defense that would support Strapp’s credibility, and did not provide adequate justification for the conclusions he reached based on evidence provided by the victim. Patey argues that the judge considered Strapp’s evidence more strictly than the victim’s, “so that the assessment of credibility between [Strapp] and the complainant was unreasonable, unequal and unjust”. The appeal also makes reference to a sex tape, a video the defense claims Judge Harris did not properly review. During the trial, the victim told the court she was sent a sex tape involving Strapp’s ex-wife. In his deposition, Strapp categorically claimed that no such film existed. Lawyer Ian Patey, left, with Strapp at the provincial court in St. John’s in November. (Lukas Wall/CBC) Strapp, 39, was found guilty in February and sentenced in June to four years for sexual interference and two years for sexual assault, to be served concurrently. During the trial, the former student told the court that a sexual relationship between her and Strapp began when she was 16 and while he was her teacher and coach in several sports. He told the court the two had about 100 sexual interactions. It happened while at school, at Strapp’s house, in his children’s rooms and in his car, he said. The woman also told the court that while they were in 11th and 12th grade, she and Strapp exchanged sexual photos and videos using Snapchat, an app that deletes messages once they are read by the recipient. No date has been set for the hearing of the appeal. Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
