Governments refute claims over convicted sex offender

The governments of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories are denying allegations made by a second group of people who claim the governments failed to protect them fromconvicted sex offender Edward Horne.

The 72 men and one woman involved in the case say the governments didn'tprotect them from Horne when they were school children.

Horne was a teacher or principal in Sanikiluaq, Cape Dorset, Iqaluit, Grise Fiord and Kimmirut in the 1970s and 1980s.

In 2002, the territorial governments reached a $21.5-millionout-of-court settlement with a group of82 men and three estates to compensate for sexual abuse by Horne.In 2000, he was sentenced to five years in prison for 20 counts of sexually assaulting young Nunavut boys.

In their statement of defence for this second case, filed in the Nunavut Court of Justice Monday, the two governments say they protected the children at school but are not responsible for anything that may have happenedat Horne's homes, which he rented from the government.

Claims denied

The statement said that "mere ownership of property does not extend power or authority to the defendants to exercise any control over the activities which Edward Horne is alleged to have been a part of, or to have conducted in his own residence."

It also denies the claimants "have suffered acute and irreparable psychological harm or other severe impairments and disabilities as alleged."

Newfoundland lawyer Geoffrey Budden, who is representing the 73 complainants, said he understands the governments' need to ensure the allegations are valid, buthe takes exception with some of the governments' comments such as the suggestion some of the children may have consented to sexual contact with Horne.

After reading the statement, Budden said he feels less confident the case can be settled without going to court.

The governments' lawyer, Brad Patzer, was not available for comment.

No court date has been set for the case.

Horne, who now lives in Toronto, faces 15 new charges of sexually assaulting young Nunavut boys in the 1970s and 1980s. His lawyer will appear for him in Iqaluit court Oct. 5.