SQLFusion - Sex abuse allegations were not investigated by CAS

Sex abuse allegations were not investigated by CAS

Cornwall Standard Freeholder

16 October 2008

Posted By TREVOR PRITCHARD

Sexual abuse allegations that came to light thanks to a lawsuit filed by former cop Perry Dunlop were never investigated by the local Children's Aid Society, the Cornwall Public Inquiry heard yesterday.

Bill Carriere testified the agency had doubts about the allegations -- which were disclosed to the CAS in 1997 by the Alexandria-Cornwall Roman Catholic Diocese -- because they originated with Dunlop, who was suing a number of people and organizations he believed were conspiring to cover up the existence of an alleged pedophile clan in the Cornwall area.

"In light of the context, yes, we wondered about (the alleged abuse)," said Carriere, who spent 33 years with the CAS before retiring in 2006.

Yesterday was Carriere's seventh and final day on the stand at the long-running inquiry, which is exploring how institutions responded to allegations of historical sexual abuse.

Dunlop has long been credited with bringing to light unreported stories of abuse in the community. He has refused to testify at the inquiry, however, and was recently released from jail after serving two sentences for contempt.

One of the priests named in Dunlop's lawsuit was Rev. Kevin Maloney, who took the stand in July. Maloney told the inquiry he willingly handed over the allegations -- which named a number of priests, including himself -- to the CAS because it was part of the diocese's protocol on handling abuse complaints, even if he believed they were untrue.

On Wednesday, the diocese's lawyer, David Sherriff-Scott, showed Carriere excerpts from the CAS' May 1997 files, immediately after the agency received the disclosures.

"What I didn't see in the file is that you did a detailed investigation of this stuff," said Sherriff-Scott, who then suggested the CAS didn't want to be "used as a pawn or manipulated" by Dunlop.

Carriere agreed his agency had concerns about the credibility of the allegations. But the CAS also decided not to pursue them, he added, because the Ontario Provincial Police were set to launch Project Truth, their own investigation into the pedophile clan rumours.

That four-year investigation laid 115 charges against 15 men.

Cornwall Police Service lawyer Peter Manderville suggested the CAS' suspicions about Dunlop went back as far as 1993, when Dunlop first divulged to the CAS his belief a clan was active in the community.

At the time, the agency was investigating another local priest, Rev. Charles MacDonald. A former altar boy had gone to city police with allegations MacDonald had abused him decades earlier at St. Columban's Church.

According to the CAS' files, Dunlop told the agency "there were other perpetrators involved in a ring" and promised to come in personally to share his information.

Carriere testified last month the CAS tried repeatedly to set up a follow-up meeting with Dunlop, but had no success. In the end, their investigation, dubbed "Project Blue," focused squarely on MacDonald.

Manderville asked Carriere if it would be "customary" for the CAS to cease any investigation where children were potentially at risk if they felt the allegations were credible.

"No, it wouldn't be customary," said Carriere.

"So it would only happen if you felt the story wasn't credible, correct?" asked Manderville.

"I don't know how to answer that question," said Carriere. "I think it would be fair to say that we definitely had questions about (Dunlop's) information."

MacDonald was charged in 1996 with a number of sex crimes. The charges were all stayed in 2002, and MacDonald has repeatedly maintained his innocence.

The inquiry resumes today at 9:30 a. m. with a new witness.

Article ID# 1249441

Comments on this Article.

See no evil, Hear no evil, speak no evil. If you ignore things they will go away not in the real world it can come back to bite you in the behind! They are supposed to investigate any report of possible child abuse so why didn't they. Perhaps they were friends of the accused or their judgement was clouded!

Don't trust this man he is a wolf in sheeps clothing.

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #1 By dodger

I think we already figured it out that he's a wolf in sheeps clothing. Retired in 2006 - comes in unannounced in Feb/Mar 2008 to interview and audiotape Gerald Fitzpatrick with 5 pages of prepared questions. Under WHO's authority we aren't told. CAS at the time puts out a $50,000 RFP for a public relations campaign (Damage control)...and not one of the Inquiry Gods asked Carriere about this!!!

Agreeed - Not to be trusted!!!

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #2 By RealityChecker

oh oh concpiracy theory again. but it is good to see that you guys are thinking outside the box.

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #3 By itinerant

"In light of the context, yes, we wondered about (the alleged abuse)," said Carriere, who spent 33 years with the CAS before retiring in 2006." "Maloney told the inquiry he willingly handed over the allegations -- which named a number of priests, including himself -- to the CAS." "What I didn't see in the file is that you did a detailed investigation of this stuff," said Sherriff-Scott"***So let me see, the clown who worked with the CAS for 33 years "wondered" about the (alleged abuse)and was so concerned that there is no evidence in the file says Scott that says the clown did any detailed investigation AND the "kicker" is that even a priest (Rev.Maloney)and other priests who were "alleged" to having been accused of abusing even handed over the abuse allegations to the CAS. And the CAS did diddley! And this Carriere clown and his gang of no-goods "wondered about the alleged abuse" even though a priest brought accusations about he and other priest to the CAS and there is allegedly NO evidence of any kind of investigation or obviously concern for anyone but their own rectums. Now I understand why nothing got done and the "Scape-Goat" by the name of Perry Dunlop gets tossed in the "hoose-gow". Why would Perry Dunlop trust either the priests, the CAS or especially his own police force especially after we've seen the way the cops and courts have treated him since then. A man tries everything he can to bust up a child abuse ring and he is the one that goes to jail and the guilty walk, eh? Strange justice in this crappy land of Canada. I spit on the flag of both the Province and Canada for allowing ALL of this to go on. And you wonder even today why kids and adults won't go to the cops as witnesses, would you? I sure as hell wouldn't because between the cops and the CAS I DON'T TRUST A SINGLE ONE OF THEM. Hello Hamilton Police and the Hamilton Wentworth CAS, this applies to you BUT you both will get yours! PERRY DUNLOP SHOULD GET A MEDAL TO HANG AROUND HIS BRAVE NECK FOR TRYING TO STOP IT AND THE REST SHOULD GET A "NOOSE". Problem solved, end of abuse but we're still stuck with the CAS's and Cops all over the province who I would allege are every bit as bad as CornHoles.

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #4 By grimreaper_47

Itinerant - listen up - I hear Cornwall has someone who became pocessed in 1959 from masturbating. As a result the town ended up refering to him as the local VILLAGE IDIOT. He hasn't been able to shed that stigma and it seems nothing this VILLAGE IDIOT says to date is credible or makes sense.

ANY TRUTH TO THIS???

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #5 By RealityChecker

The CAS has to be the worse organization around. What do we pay the many people at the Cornwall location to do? Carriere says he doesn't know how to respond when asked if the CAS policy is to cease an investigation if the credibility of the person is in question? Well they obviously responded by ceasing the investigation, so why not own up to it?When it comes to children, everyone should go off their gut instinct. Inform the proper authorities and let them perform their investigations, regardless of "credibility". CAS will dictate this to you themselves the bunch of hypcrites... The CAS did not want to get involved obviously because of the politics. They are only concerned with their funding. Now where is the accountability? Oh wait CAS, police and politicians are above the rest of society...