Former Waterloo elementary principal sentenced to 4 years for child luring

It’s a decision nearly two years in the making, with a former Waterloo elementary school principal now set to serve four years behind bars for child luring.

Phillip Sallewsky, the 57-year-old former principal of Northlake Woods Public School in Waterloo, was arrested back in March 2023 after engaging in sexually explicit conversations with who he believed were 13 and 14-year-old girls for multiple weeks.

In reality, the two girls were actually undercover police officers. They were working to gather evidence of the conversations, disturbing photos, and even attempted meet-ups, beginning in February of the same year.

Reports show that hundreds of online messages were monitored over the few weeks of interactions between the posing officers and Sallewsky. He was arrested on location after attempting to meet with one of the “girls.”

Sallewsky was originally charged with 17 different offences ranging from sexual assault to various charges of child pornography. He entered into a plea deal for six of those charges last year, where he also pleaded guilty to two counts of child luring. The remaining charges were stayed due to the fact they were tied to the counts of child luring.

The accused appeared at the Ontario Court of Justice in London, Ont. on Tuesday, Jan. 15 for sentencing.

Reports show that crown prosecutors were pushing for a six-year sentence, citing Sallewsky’s history as an educator as one of the more prevalent and disturbing aspects of the case.

Meanwhile, the defence argued that this was his first offence, with Sallewsky issuing an apology to the court and speaking to the regret he has for the pain he’s brought his wife, children and former colleagues.

The judge, Justice White, said his history of educating across London, Tillsonburg, Hamilton, Kitchener and Waterloo was especially disturbing saying “This makes Mr. Sallewsky a child predator unique amongst child predators.”

White added that the messages and conversations showed no spontaneity, demonstrating a clear intent and, in some cases, Sallewsky clearly showed that he knew of the moral implications of what he was doing.

The reports show that the judge ultimately decided that the apology and guilty plea pointed to a sign of remorse, with the fact that it was his first offence being a key part of the reasoning.

He was sentenced to four years in prison, two for each count of child luring and being served consecutively, with Sallewsky also now named on the sex offender registry, where he will be listed for the next 20 years.

He will also have various restrictions on his internet access, where he can work, and places he can visit.