Lawsuit claims Halifax police officer who mentored youth abused teen in 1980s

The lawyer representing a 55-year-old man who alleges he was sexually abused in the 1980s by a Halifax police officer known for his work with youth suspects that there may be more victims who have not yet come forward.

In a statement of claim filed recently in Nova Scotia Supreme Court, the man, identified as T.A., claims that as a teenager, he was sexually groomed and repeatedly assaulted during police “ride-alongs” with Const. Terry Graves, who passed away in 2013. Graves had founded a youth program called Halifax Police Venturers, which received funding and oversight from the Halifax Police Department.

The plaintiff is taking legal action against the Halifax Regional Municipality, which is responsible for the Halifax Regional Police and its predecessor, the Halifax Police Department.

Graves was known for his extensive work with youth, including involvement with the Scouts and starting a summer day camp for young people in 1999. He received several accolades for his contributions, such as a Queen’s Jubilee medal. However, in 2004, Graves was charged with sexually assaulting a young person who worked at the summer camp. The charges were related to an incident that occurred four years earlier during a camping trip at Dollar Lake, northeast of Halifax, when the complainant was 16 years old. The prosecution was halted in 2005 after a preliminary inquiry, with the Crown attorney citing a lack of realistic prospect of conviction.

Liam O’Reilly, the lawyer representing T.A., believes there could be additional individuals who were abused by Graves, even though he is not aware of any other allegations against the officer. O’Reilly stated in an interview that it is common for there to be multiple instances of abuse and multiple survivors in such cases.

The statement of claim filed last week details the sexual abuse experienced by T.A., including an assault by Graves during a camping trip at Dollar Lake in 1986.

T.A. had aspirations of becoming a police officer and was mentored by Graves in Halifax Police Venturers. The abuse allegedly occurred during ride-alongs, at the police station, and during Venturers’ events. Despite reporting the abuse to police in 2015, T.A. was informed that the case would be closed due to Graves’ passing two years earlier. The lawsuit alleges that an officer intimidated T.A. into not pursuing the complaint. Additionally, Graves himself reportedly appeared at T.A.’s workplace in 1990 in police uniform, where he threatened and intimidated T.A. into not filing a criminal complaint against him.

A spokesperson for the Halifax Regional Municipality declined to comment as the case is ongoing and no statement of defense has been filed. Halifax Regional Police spokesperson Const. Martin Cromwell described the allegations as “extremely serious” and confirmed that Graves retired in 2009 after a 30-year career but refrained from providing further details.

The allegations in this case are troubling, and it is essential for justice to be served for the victims of abuse.