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  Former Cornwall Officer's Contempt Hearing Delayed

Ottawa Citizen
February 20, 2008

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=fc9709f3-1730-4767-8028-a033a0314362&k=45192

TORONTO - A Divisional Court hearing to determine whether Perry Dunlop, a former police officer who has steadfastly refused to testify at a Cornwall sex-abuse inquiry, is guilty of contempt of court has been delayed for two weeks.

The 43-year-old, who was arrested on Sunday in Duncan, B.C., on a Canada-wide warrant, will remain in custody until his next court appearance.

An Ontario judge issued the warrant for Dunlop's arrest after he disobeyed a court order to appear before a public inquiry into sexual-abuse allegations that he helped to investigate as a police officer in the 1990s.

Because it was his investigation in 1993 that first uncovered allegations of child abuse by highly placed members of Cornwall society - including a priest, a lawyer and a Crown prosecutor - Dunlop's testimony is seen as key to the inquiry.

Dunlop maintains that when he first shed light on allegations of abuse, there was a reluctance by anyone to act.

He ultimately provided details of the case to the media and to the Children's Aid Society. That led to his being ostracized and forced out of the city force, he says. The stress led to an emotional breakdown.

He and his family moved to Duncan in 2000.

Years later, an Ontario Provincial Police investigation led to 15 people being charged with sex offences against children. One was jailed.

Dunlop says he's lost faith in the system.

"It's toxic. It's a toxic environment. They'll twist my words," he said Sunday in British Columbia. "I've said that I will read my statement to the best of my ability - and they just want to tear me to pieces. I want the victims to tell their story."

Dunlop said at the inquiry he'll face an phalanx of lawyers.

"There's too may people being silent and they'll put these high-priced lawyers that are professional spin doctors, and they just pound and pound and pound. Most people can't stand one or two lawyers going at them. There (are) 70 lawyers in the inquiry."

 
 

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