ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — A 37-year-old man charged with sexual assault in connection with an incident last November at a New Brunswick school was a substitute teacher in Newfoundland and Labrador.
New Brunswick RCMP say Stephen Blackwood was known to approach children and ask them to dance for his channel on YouTube, where he is known as "Blamzooka."
The Newfoundland and Labrador English School District confirmed in an email that Blackwood was employed as a substitute teacher in the St. John's region from 2013 to 2022.
The district says it can't comment on the matter directly but any concerns of inappropriate staff behaviour toward students are immediately relayed to police.
Police in New Brunswick say they're trying to determine if there are more alleged victims and asking parents to speak to their children if they may have been in contact with Blackwood.
RCMP say Blackwood appeared in Moncton provincial court on Feb. 2 and was charged with sexual assault and sexual interference in connection with an incident at a school in November 2022. He is scheduled to return on Feb. 10.
The Mounties say their investigation has determined that Blackwood committed similar offences in the Moncton region dating back to 2018. Police say Blackwood was known to frequent public and hotel pools, as well as the wharf in Shediac, N.B., where he had allegedly asked children to dance for his YouTube channel.
The channel has more than 30,000 subscribers and features videos taken at locations including water parks, swimming holes and skateboard parks, mostly of boys playing. Some show kids doing dances from the video game Fortnite.
Blackwood also worked as a substitute teacher in New Brunswick between Oct. 26 and Nov. 4 of 2022, the RCMP say, noting that he may have frequented other locations.
"This is still an active investigation, and we are working diligently to understand if there were other victims," said New Brunswick RCMP Cpl. Hans Ouellette. "We are asking parents to speak to their children if they attended these locations, or any of the schools that he taught at, and had interactions with him."
RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador said in an email they are aware of the investigation by their counterparts in New Brunswick. The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has jurisdiction over the St. John's area, where Blackwood taught, and the force did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 9, 2023.
The Canadian Press
