Inquiry begins to investigate allegations against local teacher

Cornwall Standard Freeholder

21 May 2008

The Cornwall Public Inquiry began looking into the early stages of a historical sexual abuse investigation involving a local teacher Monday afternoon. In 2000, Det. Sgt. Jeff Carroll began probing Marc Latour's allegations that he was physically and sexually assaulted in the late 1960s by Gilf Greggain, then his Grade 3 teacher at St. Peter's Elementary School.

Latour gave at least two statements to Carroll saying that Greggain - who was never charged with any crime stemming from Latour's allegations - would "beat the devil out of me."

Carroll said he felt "confident" that although Latour was ready to talk about his alleged physical abuse, there was something more to his story he wasn't ready to share.

But he recalled how surprised he was when Latour eventually divulged he was allegedly "sodomized" by Greggain.

"I never once figured it would be that," Carroll told commission lawyer Pierre Dumais.

Latour, who testified at the inquiry last March, expressed little surprise that the Cornwall Police Service never charged Greggain with any crime.

Dumais asked Carroll on multiple occasions Monday if he believed Latour's allegations.

Carroll said he always thought Latour was "sincere" in his opinion Greggain abused him, but from a policing point of view there were problems corroborating his story.

It's expected lawyers will continue examining the Greggain case when the inquiry resumes today at 11 a.m. 

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