The principal of St. Michael's College School says he always intended to contact police after seeing a video of an alleged gang sex assault at his school, but he wanted to notify parents and complete expulsions first.
"I made a decision, I know I'm being criticized for that," Gregory Reeves said Monday night, a week after seeing the video. "But I've spoken with the victim's parents, they are very pleased with the timeline and I think that we are helping the healing of that victim."
Reeves spoke at St. Michael's after six - now former - students were granted bail after being charged with the alleged sexual assault at the all-boys private school.
The teenagers are 14 and 15 years old, each facing charges of assault, gang sexual assault and sexual assault with a weapon.
They cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Reeves was pressed on why he waited until last Wednesday to alert the police to the video, after first seeing it two days earlier.
Reeves said he told the boy's parents because they had not been informed of what was going on and had expulsion meetings scheduled for Wednesday, after which he would alert police.
"I fully intended to call the police and at that point, the police came in (Wednesday) on another issue, at that point I shared the video and I was under the impression that I was the first one to share the video with them," he said.
In fact, police had first been alerted about the incident by the media on Wednesday.
Reeves did call police on Monday about a first video, that of an assault in a boys' washroom.
In all, police are now investigating four incidents, over 50 witnesses have been interviewed, eight students have been expelled and one has been suspended.
Earlier in the day at a police news conference, Inspector Dominic Sinopoli was asked if the school should've reported the video as soon as it was seen.
"Yes," he said.
Reeves was originally supposed to speak with police at that news conference, but took questions from media later in the day because a bomb threat had been called into the school.
The principal said clearly the incidents show there's a problem in the school and administration's best efforts "have failed."
But he reiterated that the Board is pleased with how the matter has been handled, when asked if anyone in the administration would take any leaves of absence or resign.
"I made that decision in the best interest of that boy and there's nothing else I can say," he said.
The police have asked any other witnesses and victims to come forward, but there are no upcoming expulsion meetings scheduled.
The school has hired a social worker, installed a confidential tip line and are working on an app that students can use as well.