(This
column was published in the North
Shore News on
Mar. 18, 1998)
Sexual
allegations cost taxpayers
By Leo Knight
EVERY
now and again, it almost looks as though some measure of justice
has been done. Such was the case last week when North Van
hotelier Ken Hutchinson, was exonerated for the second time on
sexual assault and sexual harassment accusations.
But,
as with most occasions when we peer into the morass masquerading
as a justice system in BC, we find all is not what it appears to
be.
Hutchinson
is a self made man, having started working in the bar of the
Coachhouse before taking a flyer on a cabaret, fondly recalled
by many North Shore residents, called Goofy's.
He
graduated to the Lynwood then ultimately to his current digs at
the Avalon on Marine Drive.
Along
the way, he has had an influence on many local residents who
have either worked for him, or known him working in the bars and
clubs where they spent their young adult life.
Still
trim and athletic, Hutchinson could be an actor in a daytime
soap opera.
Yet,
he found himself involved in a real life soap so bizarre no
Hollywood screen writer could have dreamed it up.
Unfortunately,
this story has too many twists and turns to tell in its entirety
given the allotted space of a newspaper column.
I
will, however, try to give you a sense of what happens when
political correctness and logic are at opposite ends.
Remember
Rachel Marsden and Liam Donnelly. "Hell hath no fury as a
wise man once said." (quoted with all due apologies to a
certain Vancouver police detective.)
To
understand this story we have to go back to the late '80s.
Hutchinson,
then a single man, was what we used to call a playboy in less
politically correct times.
A
ladies' man with the looks, attitude and the money to back it
up.
He,
perhaps unwisely, began dating one of his employees, a young,
attractive girl who worked the front desk at his hotel.
During
this short period, they had consensual sex at his house.
The
relationship didn't last, as Hutchinson went on to his next
ladyfriend.
The
girl, who cannot be named by court order, got herself into some
trouble in 1993, some four-plus years later.
In
early 1993 she got convicted for theft. Several months later,
she was before the court convicted with possession for the
purpose of trafficking.
Nice
girl.
She
approached Hutchinson for a $4,000 loan to pay her legal costs.
He
refused to lend her the money, but, given her service to the
hotel, he offered to co-sign a loan at her bank. This, she
refused.
Around
the same time, Hutchinson appointed someone else into a
management position the girl wanted.
For
some reason he didn't want a convicted thief having the keys to
the cookie jar, so to speak.
Go
figure.
She
was angry. So angry she tried to dig up some dirt on the person
who got the position using a ruse.
But
there was no dirt to dig. When she was caught up in her lies,
she took stress leave and filed a grievance with her union
claiming sexual harassment against Hutchinson.
She
initially said she'd take $50,000 to drop the matter.
Hutchinson, having done nothing wrong, absolutely refused. But
when her dreams of riches weren't forthcoming, sexual harassment
became sexual assault.
For
some inexplicable reason, West Van PD bought into the line
touted by the would be manageress-come-thief.
This
started an investigation far out of line with the accusations at
hand, let alone the credibility, or lack thereof, of the
accuser. Hutchinson, who has no criminal record, seemingly
became public enemy number one.
The
female complainant went through her union's long term disability
coverage, for her stress don't you know, until that ran out.
She
then went on unemployment benefits. In the interim, the Worker's
Compensation Board put her on a monthly stipend of over $1700,
tax free.
They
also gave her a lump sum cheque of over $24,000, ostensibly to
repay her union's insurance plan and UIC.
Apparently
not.
During
her testimony in the Human Rights portion of Hutchinson's
ordeal, she testified, after first implying all the money had
been paid back, that she "had better things to do with the
money." Yeah, right.
Another
"victim" came forward with bizarre claims as a result
of the media coverage, claims later proven to be false, dating
back to the early '80s when both she and Hutchinson were at the
Lynnwood Hotel.
She
also clambered upon the Compensation bandwagon. Whoops, there
goes another $1200 per month, tax free.
WCB,
in their infinite wisdom and absolute political correctness,
attached her claim to the Avalon Hotel where she has never
worked a day.
So
far, the WCB has paid out an estimated $250,000 in this case.
Joe Pinto, spokesman for the WCB, said the matter is being
investigated.
Don't
spare the horses, Joe.
I
can't for the life of me figure out how this thing even got to
first base.
Basic
objectivity in checking out the details of the allegations
should have demonstrated the women were lying.
Ultimately,
that's what happened.
Real
bad guys are caught red handed and the Crown looks for every
reason, real or imagined, to keep the case from a court of law.
But
make wild allegations of sexual assault for the basest of
personal, selfish reasons -- revenge and money -- and the system
falls all over itself to "get the guy."
So
far, Hutchinson has paid out $200,000 to lawyers to defend him.
The
system has paid a greater amount to the discredited
complainants, and so far, there's no sign of the money tap being
turned off.
Never
mind the cost to the taxpayer of the investigation, five days in
criminal court and seventeen days in the Human Rights Tribunal.
Hutchinson's
reputation has been seriously damaged. The supposed victims
can't even be publicly identified.
Where is justice after all?