December 04, 2013 - 11:01 AM
SAINT JOHN, N.B. - Victims who allege they were sexually assaulted by a former New Brunswick cop have filed a class-action lawsuit accusing the City of Saint John, the municipal police force and the city's police commission of turning a blind eye to complaints of abuse.
The statement of claim was filed today in the province's Court of Queen's Bench by Robert Hayes of Saint John on behalf of the proposed class.
The document alleges the city, the police commission and the police force knew about allegations of sexual abuse involving Kenneth Estabrooks but kept the complaints a secret and failed to investigate or act on them.
The allegations in the statement of claim, which cover a period between 1953 and 1998, have not been proven in court.
No one from the city, police force or police commission could be immediately reached for comment.
The statement of claim says Hayes alleges he was first sexually assaulted by Estabrooks, who died several years ago, as a minor and that the abuse continued for years.
It also alleges Estabrooks used his authority to abduct, confine and sexually assault hundreds of boys and girls.
Estabrooks was convicted in 1999 of indecent assault against four young people between 1957 and 1982 and received a six-year prison sentence.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013