Thursday, February 4, 2016

Homecoming: Toronto pastor facing historic sex charges in Annapolis Valley

Legendary party life at Mount Allison U
KENTVILLE - A well-known Toronto pastor and recipient of the Order of Canada is facing sex charges dating from the mid-1970s.

Court documents allege the offences were committed in Greenwood.

Rev. Dr. Brent Leroy Hawkes, 65, is charged with indecent assault and an act of gross indecency involving oral sex. It’s alleged that the offences involved a male victim and were committed in Greenwood between Aug. 1, 1974, and Dec. 31, 1975.

Hawkes is charged under the Criminal Code of Canada as it was written between 1970 and 1982. Kings RCMP filed charges against Hawkes in December.

“I want to be crystal clear: I am innocent of these allegations,” Hawkes said in a statement published on the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto website. “The purported events simply did not take place.”

Hawkes was not present in Kentville provincial court Feb. 1, having earlier filed a designation of counsel to be represented by lawyers Clayton Ruby, Annamaria Enenajor, Joel Pink or Andrew Nielson.

The court granted a publication ban to protect the identity of the alleged victim and the matters were adjourned to April for election and plea.

Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service communications director Chris Hansen said it’s their belief that Hawkes used to be employed as a teacher at West Kings District High School.

Hawkes has been senior pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto for 38 years. According to the church’s website, he’s a native of New Brunswick and a graduate of Mount Allison University. The university presented Hawkes with an Honourary Doctorate of Laws in 2010.  (more...)


Background:


Nice to know you're remembered by the folks back home

No comments:

Post a Comment