Ex-janitor at Saint John elementary school accused of sexually assaulting boy

A former janitor at a Saint John elementary school is on trial for allegedly sexually assaulting a boy more than 30 years ago.

John William Hunt, 68, who worked at Morna Heights Elementary School, is charged with one count of indictable sexual assault between June 1 and Sept. 30, 1986.

The alleged victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, reported the alleged abuse to Saint John police two years ago.

He was not a student at Morna Heights but lived in the area and hung around the school during the period in question when he got to know Hunt, the courtroom heard Monday. He was about 13 or 14 years old at the time.

In a videotaped statement, which was played in Saint John Court of Queen's Bench, the complainant told police one incident occurred in the principal's office.

"It ended up with him performing oral sex on me," he said.

The man alleges Hunt called his home three times afterward, asking him to go for a drive with him, but he refused.

There was, however, a second encounter in the school gym, the complainant told police.

"Masturbating him. I vaguely remember that," he said.

The man said he turned to illegal drugs later in life to cope with the pain he felt.

"I thought it was my fault," he said.

The court also heard from a police investigator on Monday. Const. Michelle Kerrigan testified the Anglophone South School District gave her the date of birth for Hunt, who worked at the school in the mid-1980s. It matched the date of birth of one of the three John Hunts she found in the police database, she said.

When the accused was brought in for questioning, he confirmed he was an employee of the school at that time, the officer said.

The trial is scheduled to resume on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. Justice William Grant is presiding. Four days have been set aside.

Hunt previously elected to be tried by judge alone.

The Crown prosecutor is Patrick Wilbur. Hunt's defence lawyer is Rodney Macdonald.

Morna Heights Elementary School, located on Chalmers Drive, currently has about 80 students between kindergarten and Grade 5, according to its website.