Calgary police say a former teacher at John Ware School in the city’s southwest has been charged with the historical sexual assault of two students.
80-year-old Fred Henry Archer, had previously served a three-year sentence for abusing students while he was a guidance counsellor at several Calgary area schools, including John Ware.
He is also named in a class action lawsuit, launched by three former students who attended John Ware, against Archer, former teacher Michael Gregory and the Calgary Board of Education.
Police say their investigators became aware of the new allegations against Archer, last year, when two former students at the school came forward separately to report allegations against him.
The first person was 12-years-old, in grade 7, and had two classes with Archer in 1991, when the offences are alleged to have taken place.
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Archer is accused of inappropriately touching the student during after-hours tutoring sessions and scheduled breaks that took place off school property in Archer’s vehicle.
The second alleged victim was also 12-years-old, in grade 7, and attended the school from 1993 to 1995.
While he did not have classes with Archer, he claims they were introduced and began spending time together off school property, including at Archer’s residence and in his vehicle, where several sexual assaults are alleged to have taken place.
Archer, who now lives in High River has been charged with:
- two counts of sexual assault of a child under the age of 16;
- two counts of sexual interference with a child under the age of 16;, and
- one count of invitational to sexual touching with a child under the age of 16.
Archer will appear in court next on Thursday, March 6, 2025.
Calgary police are also asking anyone with information about the cases, or similar incidents, to call police at 403-266-1234.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at http://www.calgarycrimestoppers.org or by downloading the Crime Stoppers app, P3 TIPS, from your app store.
In Canada, there is no time limit on reporting a sexual assault so police are encouraging anyone who believes they were a victim of sexual assault to report it, even if many years have passed since the incident.
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