Brothers Allegedly Abused

October 23, 2007 — A Cornwall Public Inquiry witness says it was a slap in the face. Carole Hesse testified yesterday. She explained that's how it felt when she heard her brothers were allegedly abused at the hands of a probation officer and a city priest. Hesse says it was a reality check.  No one was convicted in relation to the allegations.

Abuse tore family apart: sister

Cornwall Standard Freeholder

23 October 2007

Posted By Terri Saunders

The city's top cop was at the home of an alleged child molester on more than one occasion, a woman told the Cornwall Public Inquiry Monday.

Carole Hesse said she recalls seeing Claude Shaver, a former chief of the Cornwall Police Service, at the Summerstown home of Ken Seguin, a now-deceased city probation officer alleged to have sexually abused several young boys in the 1980s and 1990s.

Hesse said she recalls having seen Shaver at Seguin's house on at least two occasions. One time, Hesse said, she was at Seguin's door when she observed Shaver inside the house.

During another visit to the waterfront home, Hesse said she remembers Shaver driving his car into the driveway behind her car and that he had to move his vehicle in order for him to leave.

Hesse was shown a statement she gave in June 1996 in which it appears she says the opposite happened.

"One time I got there (and) Malcolm (MacDonald) and Shaver were just leaving and I had to pull out so they could get out," the statement reads.

"Is it fair to assume it's backward?" asked Peter Manderville, an attorney representing the Cornwall police at the inquiry.

"Reading this, it looks like he (Shaver) blocked me in," said Hesse. "To be fair, that was a very long time ago," said Manderville.

"Yes," said Hesse. "It was a very long time ago."

Hesse has several siblings, some of whom have testified at the inquiry about abuse they say they suffered at the hands of Seguin and Rev. Charles MacDonald.

Seguin committed suicide in 1993 before any criminal charges were laid against him.

Charles MacDonald was charged in 1996 with a series of sex-related crimes involving young men, but those charges were stayed in 2002 when a judge determined it had taken too long to bring the matter to trial.

Hesse said she only became aware of the alleged abuse her brothers suffered when she was approached by Perry Dunlop, a former city cop lauded as the whistleblower who blew the lid off decades of child sexual abuse in the Cornwall area.

In 1996, Dunlop visited Hesse and began to ask her questions about her brothers and their involvement with Seguin, Malcolm MacDonald and Charles MacDonald.

During the visit, Dunlop showed her a series of photographs, including shots of her brothers.

"It was like a slap in the face," said Hesse. "I realized my brothers were all victims. I talked to them. I said, 'Why didn't you tell me? Maybe I could have done something.' But they just wanted to leave it alone. They didn't want to be victims."

Hesse, who is now 49 years old, said the alleged abuse has torn her family apart and she barely speaks to her brothers anymore, despite the fact they were all quite close when they were younger.

"Now, we don't talk," said Hesse. "It's very strained. They live their lives and I live mine."

Hesse said she hopes the inquiry will result in a recommendation a young person cannot be alone in the company of a lawyer or a probation officer, either while defending themselves in court or as part of after-care.

"There shouldn't be any one-on-one," said Hesse.

Comm. Normand Glaude suggested that, while conducting a criminal defence, it may be necessary for an accused to meet privately with an attorney in order to discuss matters which could be protected by attorney-client privilege.

"Well," said Hesse, "maybe it shouldn't be that way for young offenders."

The inquiry will resume Wednesday when it's expected a lawyer who once acted for Perry Dunlop in a civil la suit will take the stand. An all-counsel meeting for attorneys representing parties with standing at the inquiry is expected to be held today.