Day home operator to testify at husband’s child sex assault trial

The wife of a Calgary man who denies any inappropriate behaviour against children in her unlicensed day home is well enough to resume testifying, court heard Monday.

Defence counsel James Wyman told Justice Michele Hollins that Patricia Jenkinson, who suffered a seizure while testifying on her husband’s behalf on Sept. 13, has been given a clean bill of health by her doctor.

The woman was giving evidence in connection with allegations her husband Kenneth “Papa Ken” Jenkinson sexually touched three young girls at her day home.

But early into her testimony, the witness — who suffers from seizures her husband said were exacerbated by the allegations against him — appeared to be in medical distress.

She was taken from the Calgary Courts Centre on a stretcher and hospitalized, resulting in a delay in her husband’s trial.

Jenkinson, 71, faces six charges in connection with allegations from three young girls at the Midnapore day home.

Allegations against him surfaced when one of the girls told her parents he fondled her breast area on Nov. 20, 2015.

That girl’s parents removed her from the care facility, as did the parents of another girl, but she later returned.

My (adult) daughter looked after them when my wife wasn’t there.

Police became involved when that girl and another alleged the following May that they were touched as well.

In testimony before his wife took the witness stand, Jenkinson denied any wrongdoing, adding he had very little involvement with the girls, especially after the first allegation.

“My (adult) daughter looked after them when my wife wasn’t there,” he said.