INQUIRY: Officer made no notes about sex abuse allegation

Cornwall Standard Freeholder

24 May 2008

Posted By Trevor Pritchard

A city cop told the Cornwall Public Inquiry on Friday he didn't write down an allegation against Rev. Charles MacDonald because the former priest's name only came up "in conversation."

Det. Const. Rene Desrosiers' notes from early 1997 came under scrutiny at the inquiry, which is probing how institutions like the Cornwall Community Police Service handled historical sexual abuse allegations. Desrosiers testified he had just launched an investigation into city teacher Marcel Lalonde when one complainant mentioned in passing that he had also been abused by MacDonald.

The former priest at St. Columban's church had been charged in 1996 by the OPP with a number of sex crimes involving young boys. A judge stayed those charges in 2002 after deciding they'd taken too long to come to trial.

Desrosiers said yesterday he told the man - who was at police headquarters to talk about Lalonde - that his allegation against MacDonald would be looked into at another time, either by city police or an outside force, depending on where the alleged incident happened.

Desrosiers told commission counsel Mary Simms he never entered the remark in his notebook because the two were "probably talking in conversation."

The complainant, who testified at the inquiry as C-6, was grilled by MacDonald's lawyer at a 1999 preliminary inquiry about the alleged abuse - in particular, the fact that there was no mention of it in Desrosiers' notes.

Simms suggested the fact C-6 mentioned MacDonald's name at all made the remark noteworthy. "He made an allegation against an individual," she said.

"Well, he said he wanted to talk about (MacDonald)," said Desrosiers.

"And you didn't make any note about it?" Simms asked.

Desrosiers accepted that, in retrospect, he probably should have made some notation given the media attention focused on MacDonald.

The man - who cannot be named - was one of two people whom Desrosiers interviewed that day about Lalonde.

The separate school teacher was convicted in 2000 with sexually assaulting a number of youths between 1971 and 1983.

A transcript of Desrosiers' interview with the second man, C-45, showed he also made allegations against two former probation officers, Nelson Barque and Ken Seguin.

Simms asked Desrosiers why he made mention of those allegations in his notes but not the allegations against MacDonald.

"Possibly because of the detail that was given to me by C-45 in his interview," Desrosiers replied. Both Barque and Seguin were suspected to having abused young boys, although Seguin was never charged with any crime. Barque received a four-month jail sentence in 1995. Both men also committed suicide: Seguin in 1993, and Barque in 1998. The inquiry is scheduled to resume on June 2.

why do you keep taking my opionions out or putting them on other articles. mr.marc latour

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #1 By luckyred,

So the head "Big Shots" are at it again eh luckred, well if it's any consulation, get used to it, that way they won't know it bothers you and besides which, you should know about the censorship and dictarship going on in the Freeloader! As it says in the "Good Book", **** happens! So the dip-**** made no notes about sexual abuse allegations, what didn't he have a note-book or does he even know how to spell and from the sounds of it, that's possible! It seems like NONE of them seem to get most anything right except how to sign their names on their pay-checks with their handy-dandy Crayons. They probably made notes in the ordinary course of their day, like I gotta meet the Chiefs son for a special delivery and I would hate to say that might be a bit "anal", eh? Tell me something, does anyone or did anyone do anything right and if they did something right, could you explain to me what that one thing was? Oh and over to "2sides2astory", you're right I did send you love and kisses last week like I did ItineRANT this week but you see, I can do that because I'm kinda bi-lingual or ambidextrous. Can ya get a handle on those big words? But don't worry, all is not lost, you're still # 1 on my "dance card". Have a good one and enjoy the nice weather. Dave Witzel

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #2 By armagedon,

This Inquiry is turning out to be a real farce and costing a lot of money and in the end that is exactly where we are going to get it. I have never heard so much bull in my life and it sure does prove without a doubt this police force without a doubt is a joke are these cops for real, they don,t remember things oh I did not think it was important, oh i cut up the pictures so know one would see them, last I heard they called that evidence. I agree with the above writers comments about the local paper they sure do a poor job covering this inquiry where is there ace repoter Mr. mcIntoish these days back under his desk for fesr he might actually get the truth from someone if he appears in public. And the song gores on and on and nothing will ever be done and the persons who were the victims will never get their day I am sorry to say and this joke should be stopped now it has enough evidence to show that this police force did not do it,s job and the people that were in charge get and F for failure and they are no better today than they were back then.

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #3 By what justice

To the editor do you not think you could come up with better questions in your opinion poll Mr. mcain to old how about about what do people in Cornwall think of the inquiry or what do we think of our newpaper do we think seaway news is better than the freeholder or how about allowing comments as to what we would like to see in our newspaper, how about what the people on the street think of Cornwall or what we could do to better Cornwall. Thank you

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #4 By what justice,

How about the freeholder doing an article on the drug dealers of Cornwall, do you know how many there are I can asure you we have more of them than we do corner stores. and oh by the way it is not just the poor or unemployeed who are doing drugs we have a pretty good amount of our so called upper citizens doing them and whem are we going to start raising this issue to get our justice system to start getting to put these dealers where they belong a long stretch in prison along with the smkes smugglers.

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #5 By what justice,

Keystone cops and cover up is all I have to say for today.

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #6 By dodger,

Keystone cops and cover up is all I have to say for today.

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #7 By dodger,

The Taser Inquiry called as a result of the tasering at Vancouver Airport of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski on October 14,2007 and started on May 05/08 just FINISHED Phase I of that Inquiry!!! Witnesses too - from all over North America!

Cornwall Public Inquiry started February 13, 2006 - no ending seen in the foreseeable future...MILLIONS spent...local witnesses and experts. So far -longest and most expensive inquiry in Canada. Longer than Walkerton, Ipperwash, Air India, etc. etc. etc.

WHY???

Somebody or something is OUT OF CONTROL!!!

Citizens of Cornwall - Get off your butts and DO SOMETHING TO STOP THIS CIRCUS!!! What is wrong with you people?

Reply | Report | Page Top Post #8 By RealityChecker,