Police arrest Stuckless on 15 new sex assault charges
Alleged victims speak up years after conviction in assaults at Gardens
More than 15 years after he was convicted of sexually assaulting boys while working at Maple Leaf Gardens, Gordon Stuckless was rearrested Friday and faces 15 new charges.
The arrest comes a month after police laid fresh charges against Stuckless, 64, including six counts of indecently assaulting a male, one count of assault and one count of possession of a weapon or an imitation, said police.
Police say five new male adult victims have come forward, claiming Stuckless sexually abused them during the late 1960s and 1970s.
It is alleged Stuckless befriended the boys, who were between 9 and 13 years old, while working at Maple Leaf Gardens and volunteering at local sports clubs. He sexually assaulted them at various locations in Toronto as well as at the legendary arena, according to police.
“They want to hold Stuckless accountable for what happened and they want to see justice, and I feel they are seeking a sense of closure to be able to go forward,” Det. Const. Roger Villaflor said Friday.
Stuckless has been charged with nine counts of indecent assault, five counts of gross indecency and one count of buggery.
Villaflor said other victims have come forward with similar allegations, some of which are now being investigated by York police. Police believe there are still more victims.
“It is not surprising that complainants would come forward from the region of York, as it’s wellknown that Mr. Stuckless did spend an amount of time there in the same capacity as a teacher and a volunteer in the minor sports community,” said Villaflor.
Stuckless had been slated to appear at Old City Hall court this morning on charges laid in February, relating to the alleged sexual assault of two boys, aged 11and 13, in the late1970s. At the time, Stuckless was a teacher and volunteered at a local community centre and sports club, according to police. Stuckless was charged on Feb. 7 with six counts of indecent assault on a male, assault and possession of a weapon or imitation. He is now scheduled to appear in court May 3. In 1997, Stuckless was convicted for sex assaults on 24 boys that occurred while he was an usher at Maple Leaf Gardens between 1969 and 1988. He was sentenced to two years less a day, which was later increased to five years in prison. He was paroled in 2001 after serving two-thirds of his sentence. Allan Donnan, 51, who attended Friday’s news conference, said he was among the 24 victims who first came forward. “It’s easier to come forward if there are more people. It happened so long ago — I close my eyes, it’s like it happened yesterday,” he said with tears in his eyes. Donnan applauded the victims who have shown the courage to come forward now. He is dismayed Stuckless, though now an “old man,” has been released from custody. “He has more rights and protection than the victims.”