Yellowknife (Oct 06/06) - The lawyer for victims of convicted pedophile Edward Horne has condemned Premier Joe Handley for questioning their sex abuse claims and the culpability of the territorial government.

"Premier Handley's comments with respect to those men whose civil claims were resolved in 2002 is an unwarranted and unfounded personal attack on their integrity," wrote attorney Geoffrey Budden in an Oct. 2 press release. "It also casts aspersions on all of us who were involved in negotiating that settlement and on the administration of justice, generally. He should provide evidence to support his allegations, or unreservedly withdraw and apologize for them."

Handley had already issued a public apology on Sept. 29 for remarks he made to Canadian Press reporter Bob Weber, whose story about the case ran in several major newspapers Sept. 21.

In the story, the premier is quoted as saying some of the sexual encounters between Horne and his victims may have been consensual.

Weber reported Handley questioned whether the government was responsible for abuse committed outside of school property.

When Weber was contacted, the reporter stood by his account, adding he quoted the premier, "Carefully and accurately."

Handley initially told Yellowknifer his comments were taken out of context, but later stated that he is at fault for what he said.

"It was not my intention to denigrate or dismiss the suffering of those people who have been abused. I deeply regret my remarks... and ask for forgiveness for my insensitivity," wrote Handley.

In 2002, the NWT and Nunavut agreed to an out-of-court $21.5 million settlement filed by a group of 82 men who alleged Horne abused them between the years of 1971 and 1985, when he was a teacher in what is now Nunavut.

In 2000, Horne was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted on 20 counts of sexual assault.