Furlong says RCMP letter exonerates him in abuse case

Former Vancouver Olympic CEO John Furlong says theRCMP have closed an investigation into allegations of sexual assaultagainst him by a former student and found no evidence to supportcriminal charges, prompting him to declare he's been "fully cleared" in one of a series of allegations and lawsuits facing him.

The allegations stem from Furlong's time teaching in northernB.C. in the late1960sand early1970s, which first surfaced in anewspaper article last year.

The article quoted several people whosaid they were former students and claimed to have been verbally andphysically abused by Furlong. It's now the subject of a libel lawsuitby Furlong targeting the author, Laura Robinson.

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Three people, including Beverly Abraham, have filed lawsuitsagainst Furlong alleging sexual abuse, and the RCMP launched its owninvestigation into Abraham's claims.

Furlong publicly released a letter Thursday written by an RCMPinvestigator in Prince George, under the heading: "John Furlong --allegation of sexual assault."

"Based on the facts uncovered, the allegations made by BeverlyAbraham are not supported," wrote Cpl. QuintonMackiein a lettersent to Furlong's lawyer, dated Dec. 5.

"Reasonable and probable grounds do not exist on which torecommend charges against John Furlong to Crown counsel. The RoyalCanadian Mounted Police are no longer investigating John Furlongwith respect to this allegation."

Furlong also issued a written statement in which he said the RCMP'sletter to him "fully exonerates" him with respect to Abraham'sallegations. He said his lawyers would be requesting a trial date todeal with her lawsuit.

"I am grateful that the record has now been fully cleared inthis matter, and Beverly Abraham's allegations have been proven tobe incorrect," the statement said.

Some of Abraham's claims -- though not her allegations of sexualabuse -- were first published in a September 2012 article written byfreelance writer Laura Robinson for the Georgia Straight newspaper.

Furlong used his written statement to repeat his attacks onRobinson's character, describing her as reckless.Furlong's written statement does not mention the other twolawsuits he is also facing.

Grace West and another plaintiff, a man who has asked that hisname not be published, have filed lawsuits alleging sexual abuse --all of which Furlong has denied.

The Roman Catholic diocese that ran Immaculata Elementary Schoolin Burns Lake has filed statements of defence that say it could findno records indicating West or the other plaintiff attended theschool in the years they claimed to have been victims of abuse.

The Abraham case is the only one that has been confirmed to havebeen the subject of a formal police investigation.

All three clients are represented by the same lawyer, JasonGratl, who said the RCMP's latest letter to Furlong does not changehis intention to pursue the lawsuits. He welcomed Furlong'sintention to set a trial date in Abraham's case.

"Good," he said, when told of Furlong's intention to bring thecase to trial. "We'd like a joint trial with all of the plaintiffs."

Gratl predicted the case likely wouldn't see the inside of acourtroom for two or three years.

None of the allegations against Furlong or Robinson have beentested in court.

John Furlong's RCMP letter and statement