Cornwall Sexual Abuse Inquiry Wants Former Police Officer held in Contempt

Perry Dunlop will be in court tomorrow for refusing to testify at the Cornwall Sexual Abuse Inquiry into allegations of systemic sexual abuse. Lawyers for the Inquiry want Dunlop to testify about his investigation that uncovered the Cornwall sexual abuse claims or be jailed for contempt of court.

Fifteen years ago, Dunlop’s off-hours investigation of an alleged pedophile ring in which priests, politicians and business leaders in Cornwall, Ontario were accused of bizarre sexual rituals with young boys prompted a police probe dubbed Project Truth. In 1997, after four years of investigation, police laid 114 charges against 15 men. But only one person was every convicted of a sexual offence.

The Canadian Press has reported that lawyers for the Cornwall Inquiry want an example made of Dunlop for his refusal to testify.

“Mr. Dunlop has thumbed his nose at both the court and the commission. He has not merely disobeyed the order, but has done so in an open, continuous and flagrant manner,” reads the commission’s factum.

“Mr. Dunlop’s blatant disregard for the work of the inquiry and refusal to participate diminishes public confidence in the work of the commission and should be punished accordingly.”

You can read more about the charges against Perry Dunlop here.

Has too much time passed for the inquiry to ever find out what really happened in Cornwall? What do you think of Perry Dunlop’s actions?