Douglas Quan (Postmedia News) - A senior RCMP investigator in Toronto who sued the force last year claiming that he was subjected to humiliating and oppressive treatment after being accused of — but never charged with — sex crimes against several B.C. minor hockey players in the 1980s, is now being sued by one of the former players.
Robert Callan, 42, who resides in Calgary, claims that he was sexually assaulted on numerous occasions from 1982 to 1984 while he was a player on a AAA midget hockey team in Abbotsford, B.C., and while Donald Cooke was an RCMP officer and an assistant coach on the team.
Callan claims that the RCMP failed to properly or thoroughly investigate the allegations against Cooke, which furthered his pain and suffering.
The lawsuit, filed last month in B.C. Supreme Court, names Cooke, the RCMP, the Attorney General of Canada and the Abbotsford Minor Hockey Association as defendants.
Robert Mostar, Callan’s lawyer, said Thursday his client is seeking financial compensation to cover ongoing counselling, loss of employment and other expenses. The lawsuit states that Callan is currently employed as a sales representative in Calgary.
Cooke, who joined the force in 1982 and became an expert in counterfeit Cuban cigars and worked on complex fraud and organized crime cases, is currently on extended leave from the force. His lawyer, William Gilmour, said Thursday the allegations against Cooke are “meritless.”
A spokesman for the RCMP said he couldn’t comment on matters before the court.
None of the allegations have been proven in court and no statements of defence have been filed with the court.
In a separate lawsuit filed last year against the force, Cooke claimed that the former hockey players were “angry and bitter” towards him because he had benched one of them for poor performance and dropped three others from the team after he learned that they were in possession of stolen hockey sticks.
Cooke claimed that even though he was never charged with a crime, the force repeatedly mistreated him after the sex-assault allegations were made because of a “homophobic culture” within the force. Cooke is gay.
According to Cooke’s lawsuit, the former hockey players came forward with their allegations in late 2004. B.C. Crown prosecutors reviewed the evidence and recommended against charges.
But in May 2005, investigators from B.C., with the help of Ontario authorities, still went ahead and arrested Cooke. According to the suit, a procession of officers in golf carts approached Cooke on the third green of a private golf course in Aurora, Ont., “for the purpose of maximizing the embarrassment and humiliation of Cooke.”
The force suspended Cooke while the investigation continued. Cooke, meanwhile, went on indefinite sick leave.
After reviewing the case a second time, B.C. prosecutors concluded there was still not enough evidence to charge him.
Cooke’s suspension still stretched on for four years, according to the suit.
RCMP officials have previously denied that they tried to humiliate Cooke and said the force is committed to promoting equity within its ranks.
Cooke’s lawsuit remains active.
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