Disbarred lawyer pleads guilty to sexual assault

She was a vulnerable single mother fighting to keep her kids away from an abusive ex.

John Venn was her family court lawyer, who was supposed to be working in her interest to make that happen.

Instead, Venn continually made inappropriate sexual advances and in one case sexually assaulted his client, pressing up against her and saying, “If she took care of him, he would take care of her.”

The now 72-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault in Hamilton court Monday for that June 23, 2013 incident . He was handed a conditional discharge — which means he will have no criminal record — that includes 12 months of probation, 10 years on the sex offender registry and other conditions.

Court heard he’s sick, but no details were offered.

In a powerful victim-impact statement, the woman said when she refused Venn’s advances, he did not do his job properly, and she ultimately lost the family court case, which allowed her ex unsupervised access to her children. Her kids were then exposed to abusive behaviour that the victim said was later proven in an investigation.

“Words can never explain how desperate I was to protect my children, but instead of getting protection, I had to deal with this inappropriate, unwanted sexual behaviour.”

Over the years, she has questioned whether she should have just gone along with Venn’s advances, if that would have spared her children further trauma.

“No mother deserves to be put in a position where the choice given is to protect her children or lose her dignity.”

Venn was disbarred in 2016 after an investigation by the Law Society of Upper Canada found he had sexually harassed numerous women in the Cayuga legal community. This included leering and making unwelcome sexual advances.

During the brief criminal court proceeding Monday, it is mentioned that Venn was disbarred — his own lawyer said he’s “retired” — but the reasons are never discussed and nobody mentions the pattern of behaviour.

The Crown and defence proposed the conditional discharge through a joint submission.

Justice Tony Leitch agreed, saying that in some cases, the sentence wouldn’t be appropriate, but in this instance, it is.

He noted Venn is disbarred and that offence is at the “low end of the spectrum of sexual assaults ... what makes it serious is the professional relationship.”

“I take into account his age and the fact that he has been disbarred and has been shamed already in losing his professional livelihood,” Leitch said.

Venn, who had offices in Hamilton and Dunnville, did not speak directly to the court, other than to say “guilty.”

After news broke that he’d been disbarred, the victim decided to come forward and report the sexual assault. He was charged last March.

She told the court she’s mad at herself that “it took so long to stand up for herself.”

But she’s also worked hard to persevere, including raising funds for a social service agency that helped her. “I want to be known for my strengths not my scars.”

She said the impact of the assault and its fallout have affected her financially, emotionally and psychologically. She has trouble trusting people and can’t have a relationship.

“It takes a certain kind of person to abuse their authority because they have knowledge of your vulnerability and your ... desperate situation and they take advantage.”

‘‘ I take into account his age and the fact that he has been disbarred and has been shamed ... JUSTICE TONY LEITCH