Jane Doe wins case against police force
CBC News | Posted: March 7, 1998 11:44 PM | Last Updated: November 14, 1998
A woman known as Jane Doe has won her lawsuit against the Toronto police force. She claims the force used her as bait to catch a rapist 11 years ago.
Doe was attacked in 1986 by serial rapist Paul Callow in a downtown Toronto apartment. Callow, dubbed the "balcony rapist", is serving a 20-year jail sentence.
The judgement awards Doe $220,000 in general and special damages. Justice Jean MacFarland ruled that Doe and other women were being used without their knowledge or consent to attract a predator.
Doe launched the lawsuit in 1987, arguing that investigators were negligent for not making the public aware of the rapist.
After Doe's assault, women wanted to put up posters warning neighbours of the rapist, but police wouldn't allow them to. They feared the posters would botch a stakeout plan.