Jailed

Predator sent to prison

The man who preyed upon vulnerable foster children in Prince Edward County is, at last, behind bars. The man, now 73, cannot be named because a publication ban—imposed to protect the children—remains in place. In 2012, he was convicted of nine counts of sexual crimes against three children. He appealed. That appeal was thrown out in a Belleville courtroom last week. The man was handcuffed and taken to prison to begin serving his nine-year sentence.

This case, one of several involving the sexual abuse of children in foster care under the supervision of the Children’s Aid Society of Prince Edward County, was particularly disturbing. Not only were vulnerable children exposed to this predator for years—there were warning signs of problems in this home five years earlier.

The first accusation against this offender was made to the County CAS and police in 2005. But after a lengthy investigation by the OPP and the Crown Attorney’s office, the decision was made that a trial would likely do more harm to the children.

The children were placed in new homes. He might have gotten away with his crimes. But months later the County CAS made the unimaginable decision to put foster children back with a foster parent who, it had reason to suspect abused the children in his care.

The question of why and how foster children were put back into this predator’s home have never been answered.

It would be five more years before charges were laid. The children, now young women testified to vile and degrading treatment at the hands of this man over many years.

During the 2012 trial, Crown prosecutor Jodi Whyte told the court the accused had preyed upon these vulnerable children, knowing they had nowhere else to turn.

Justice Jennifer Blishen found the defendant guilty of nine charges and sentenced him to nine years in prison. He appealed his conviction. That appeal was heard last Wednesday, and promptly dismissed.

“I am very pleased that the victims do not have to go through a second trial,” says Whyte. “I hope there is some feeling of closure for them.”

There remain many unanswered questions.

In 2011, Justice Geoff Griffin was harshly critical of the local Children’s Aid Society and its ability to protect children in its care. Justice Griffin called for a public inquiry to probe the failings of the agency, and to determine the scale of the problem in Prince Edward County.

To date, there has been no public inquiry. But the fallout from Justice Griffin’s criticisms and the subsequent scrutiny of these and other crimes against children in the agency’s care led to a major shakeup at the agency in 2012. CEO Bill Sweet departed, and the board was disbanded. The agency was later amalgamated into Highland Shores Children’s Aid.

In October last year, Highland Shores reached an out-of-court settlement with the three young women who were subjected to abuse in the Bloomfield home over so many years.