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Guilty plea in Grollier Hall case
Repeat offender pleads guilty to five counts of sexual assault by Richard Gleeson
INUVIK (Aug 01/97) - Moving about with the aid of a walker, his small and gaunt frame twisted by age and infirmity, 67-year-old Jerzy George Maczynski does not appear to be a threat.
But that's exactly what he was for some of the students who lived at Grollier Hall in the late 60s and for young people in two other communities.
Twice Maczynski had appeared in court to face sexual assault charges, and twice he had been convicted.
His past came back to haunt him for a third time in territorial court here Tuesday. Wearing blue jeans and a green wind-breaker, Maczynski pleaded guilty to five of six counts of sexual assault dating back to 1966 and 1967, the two years he worked at Grollier Hall.
Maczynski is currently serving a 16-year sentence for sexual assault committed at a B.C. residential school.
Maczynski is scheduled to appear Tuesday in Yellowknife for sentencing by Judge Brian Bruser. Maczynski had requested immediate sentencing, but Judge Brian Bruser gave Crown prosecutor Bernadette Schmaltz a week to provide time to gather victim impact statements.
Those statements may be a way of bridging the gap of 30 years between crime and punishment, said victims advocate Dale Sharkey.
Hired to help deal with the fallout of the Grollier Hall investigation, Sharkey was in court to witness Maczynski's appearance.
Sharkey said he will be offering those victimized by Maczynski a chance to have their say before sentencing.
"They do two things," said Sharkey of victim impact statements. "It affects in some way the judge's decision in terms of sentencing and it ensures the offender is aware of the consequences of his actions, how his abuses have affected them throughout their lives."
Sharkey refused to discuss specific problems the abuse has caused, but said they can be related to misplaced anger, alcoholism or drug abuse.
"I think the investigation has brought home to a number of them the impact (the abuse) has had on their lives."
The charges stem from a police investigation into former senior boys supervisor of the residence, Paul Leroux, who faces 40 counts of sexual assault. He is scheduled to appear in Yellowknife for a preliminary hearing Aug. 19.
Another former Grollier Hall worker, John Louie Comeau, 63, is charged with two counts of sexual assault. He was to appear in court Tuesday, but had his charges put over until Aug. 25, when he will appear in Inuvik.
According to police reports, more than 350 former residents of Grollier Hall were interviewed in the investigation, and a total of 21 victims identified. |