Queensland teacher put on leave after child
sexual abuse allegations
by Sarah Steger
A GLADSTONE Region teacher has been placed on leave after allegations of child sexual abuse were circulated online.
Yesterday Mt Larcom State School principal Pauline Porch sent a letter to parents and guardians addressing alleged historic child sex incidents. The claims do not relate to any current students.
The letter stated Ms Porch and the Assistant Regional Director had discussed the matter with the P&C, assuring them that student safety was the school's highest priority. "I can advise that the member of staff to whom these historical allegations refer has commenced a period of leave," she wrote.
The child sex allegations brought to the school's attention were first shared on the Lost Boy of TSS Facebook page - a page that airs claims of abuse of students. The Lost Boy of TSS exposed the allegations on social media, claiming the teacher had not been arrested or stood down by the Department of Education yet.
"The small community of Mt Larcom shows the powerful, prestigious and elite Gold Coast Boys School how to deal with allegations of child sexual abuse demanding a former teacher of The Southport School be stood aside pending an investigation," the post said.
"The Southport School still remains silent with regards to the rape, molestation and abuse allegations by its former students whilst it only took three days for the community of Mt Larcom to take action.
"The Lost Boy of TSS is said to be humbled and forever grateful to the community of Mt Larcom."
Alberta Children's Services worker charged with child exploitation offences
Rae Neveu had an unlicensed babysitting and child-care service
in his Edmonton home
CBC News A 60-year-old Edmonton man employed by Alberta Children's Services has been charged with child exploitation-related offences.
ALERT issued a news release Friday saying Neveu has been charged with child luring, possession of child pornography and accessing child pornography.
He is employed as a case aide at the Stony Plain office of Alberta Children's Services, ALERT said. He had been employed by Children's Services for 15 to 20 years, Cpl. Cameron Dunn of the ICE unit told a news conference.
For about 10 years, Neveu's wife has been the primary operator of an unlicensed child-care service in their northeast Edmonton home, ALERT said.
Roughly nine children were using the services.
"At this point in the investigation, it does not appear any children were offended upon," the news release said. "However, ICE believes Neveu was left alone with children at the residence and through his employment."
The investigation is continuing.
"The combination of the alleged offences and the suspect's access to children poses an obvious concern. Our investigation will explore if any children were harmed, and we are soliciting information from the public," said Cpl. Cameron Dunn of the ICE unit.
ICE is asking anyone with information about this investigation, or any child exploitation offence, to contact local police or www.cybertip.ca.
Neveu's arrest came after a week-long investigation prompted by a tip from the public. It is alleged he has engaged in sexually explicit online chats with children where photos were exchanged.
"Mr. Neveu posed as an underage child himself — underage female — and engaged in online chats, sexualized chats with children, who probably believed he was a same-aged child," Dunn told the news conference.
"These girls, many of them maybe believed that they were involved in a consensual, same-age type relationship, online relationship, and finding out that they were actually sending images to a male predator, that would be extremely disconcerting, I'm sure."
Aaron Manton, press secretary to Children's Services Minister Danielle Larivee, said the ministry is committed to co-operating fully with police as they continue to investigate.
"If concerns are ever raised about the conduct of our employees, we take every concern extremely seriously, and act quickly so that Albertans know we are doing whatever we can to support their safety and well-being."
ALERT tackles serious and organized crimes. Members of the Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Lethbridge Police Service, Medicine Hat Police Service, and RCMP are all involved in ALERT.
Neveu's next court appearance is set for Nov. 15.
German swim teacher arrested over suspected
child sex abuse
The Associated PressBERLIN (AP) — A swimming instructor in southwestern Germany has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing several children, and prosecutors said Friday they fear there may be many more cases.
The 33-year-old man was arrested in late September after several 5-year-old girls' parents filed complaints, prosecutors in Baden-Baden said. Investigators searched his apartment and found videos of the alleged abuse made by the man.
He was arrested over six suspected cases this year and last.
Prosecutors said in a statement that, since he taught hundreds of children at swimming schools in local towns over recent years, they also are checking "whether and if so to what extent he also sexually abused these children."
Police have written to those children's parents.
Michael Klose, a spokesman for prosecutors, said experience shows that "people who have pedophile inclinations often don't leave it at an individual case," leading investigators to examine whether there were more cases. By the beginning of this week, several parents had responded, he said, but it's unclear how many additional cases there might be.
Prosecutors say the investigation will likely take several months.
Retired York police officer who pleaded guilty to child sex offences gets two years in prison
By EMMA MCINTOSH
A retired York Regional Police officer was sentenced to two years in prison on Friday. Donald Clark, 67, pled guilty last week to one count of sexual exploitation and sexual interference, both charges related to the sexual abuse of children.
“York Regional Police will not tolerate the victimization of members of our community,” said York police Chief Eric Jolliffe in a press release Friday.
“Our investigation and charges laid against Mr. Clark clearly demonstrate that there is no statute of limitations to sexual offences and that every person, regardless of their employment, shall be held accountable for their actions.”
Clark was charged in the sexual assaults of four minors over 40 years. For a decade, between 1985 and 1995, his role involved “interaction with children,” while he worked in community outreach, York police said in 2016.
They also said Clark wouldn’t have routinely been alone with children in the course of his duties, but there were moments when he could’ve been.
Clark was arrested on Oct. 30, 2015.
In Feb. 2016, York police said Clark was facing new charges, amid new allegations about two sexual assaults between 1967 and 1970 and a third in 1996. All three victims were younger than 16 when the alleged offences occurred, police said in a statement.
It wasn’t clear which case led to Friday’s guilty plea and sentencing. York police didn’t immediately respond to the Star’s request for comment.
Under the headline “Children love new policeman,” constable Donald Clark was pictured in the Star on Nov. 18, 1986, in a story about a new police traffic safety robot “dedicated to the safety of children.”
On Sept. 28, 1989, a sergeant named Don Clark from York Regional Police was quoted in the Star saying “If your child is missing, you don’t want to wait until 5 o’clock. Within 10 minutes of me knowing it, your neighbours are going to know.” The story concerned a telephone program that would inform people when crimes are committed in their neighbourhood.
The Star reported in June 1993 that a sergeant Don Clark said he had been involved with a program aimed at teaching Grade 6 students to deal with peer pressure and be themselves. It ran for three months every year since 1983, with police officers visiting the class six or seven times, according to a Star article by reporter Patty Winsa.
A sergeant named Don Clark was also quoted in the Star on Jan. 27, 1994, in a story about an anti-drug message from York Regional Police and the Newmarket Royals, a now-defunct junior hockey team, aimed at children aged 16 and younger.
“A sexual assault includes any non-consensual contact of a sexual nature,” said York police in a statement Friday. “York Regional Police encourages victims to report incidents of sexual assault, including historical offences. There is no statute of limitations for sexual offences and offenders can be prosecuted well after the date of the offence.”
York police are also encouraging anyone with information to contact the York Regional Police Special Victims Unit, Sexual Assault Section, at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7071, or get in touch anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
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