Gordon Stuckless back on trial for new Gardens charges
The Canadian Press
First posted: Wednesday, October 04, 2017 11:39 AM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, October 04, 2017 11:47 AM EDT
TORONTO - The man at the heart of the Maple Leaf Gardens sex scandal is standing trial on new charges related to the alleged sexual abuse of boys decades ago.
Gordon Stuckless, 67, is accused of sexually assaulting three boys between 1978 and 1984.
He is charged with three counts of sexual assault, four counts of buggery, four counts of indecent assault, six counts of gross indecency, and two counts of threatening death.
Court is hearing from a man who says Stuckless repeatedly sexually assaulted him at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens in 1978 and 1979.
Stuckless, who once worked at the famed arena, pleaded guilty in 2014 to more than 100 charges for the crimes he committed against 18 young boys between 1965 and 1985.
He was also convicted of two additional charges of gross indecency linked to two of the victims but cleared on two counts of buggery. The trial judge said that while Stuckless had “probably” committed buggery, that was not enough to convict him on those charges.
He was sentenced last year to 6.5 years in prison, but was given credit of six months for time served under house arrest. Prosecutors are appealing the sentence.
The former assistant teacher and volunteer coach had also previously pleaded guilty in 1997 for sex assaults on 24 boys while he worked as an equipment manager at the Maple Leaf Gardens between 1969 and 1988.
He was sentenced to two years less a day in that case, but that was later increased to six years, less a year for pre-trial custody. He was paroled in 2001 after serving two-thirds of his sentence.
He was convicted on three other occasions of sex offences against a total of nine underage boys, according to court records.
Gordon Stuckless back on trial for new Gardens charges | Toronto & GTA | News |
Memories of sexual abuse at the hands of Gordon Stuckless prompted suicide attempt, court hears
By Sam Pazzano, Toronto Sun
First posted: Wednesday, October 04, 2017 07:13 PM EDT
Terrible childhood memories of sexual abuse at the hands of notorious Maple Leaf Gardens sex predator Gordon Stuckless were simply too much to bear so he tried to commit suicide, a witness told court Wednesday.
The alleged victim was jailed for drug-and-alcohol-fuelled crimes which he blamed on year-long abuse by Stuckless, a former employee at Maple Leaf Gardens. He spotted his tormentor while they were both behind bars in 1996-97.
“It triggered my memory and I started to get nightmares and flashbacks,” said the 51-year-old man, whose identity is covered by a publication ban.
“I tried to kill myself two nights after I passed him in the hallway of the prison. No words were exchanged,” the witness told Justice Malcolm McLeod.
He “buried the abuse for 20 years,” court heard.
He said Stuckless fondled and sexually abused him and his friends when he was 12 and 13 years old inside Maple Leaf Gardens in 1978-79.
Some of the abuse occurred inside the office of Stuckless’ supervisor — a suspected pedophile, who died before he could be charged, court heard.
The witness is the first of three men accusing Stuckless, now 68, of sexually assaulting them between 1978-84.
Stuckless has pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault, four counts of buggery, four counts of indecent assault, six counts of gross indecency, and two counts of threatening death threats.
The man said he and some friends met Stuckless when he caught them sneaking into a Leafs game through a bathroom window in 1978.
Instead of scolding the young boys, Stuckless gave them free access to Leafs games, concerts and wrestling matches through his friend, an usher.
The Gardens employee also used the lure of free hockey memorabilia, visiting players’ sticks, pop and food to bait his prey for his sick pleasure, court heard.
Stuckless engaged him in more than “100 incidents” of sexual abuse, the witness said.
Stuckless is now serving a 6 1/2-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty in 2014 to more than 100 sex crimes he committed against 18 young boys between 1965 and 1985.
He was also convicted of two additional charges of gross indecency linked to two of the victims. The sentence is being appealed.
spazzano@postmedia.com
Memories of sexual abuse at the hands of Gordon Stuckless prompted suicide attem
The Canadian Press
First posted: Wednesday, October 04, 2017 11:39 AM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, October 04, 2017 11:47 AM EDT
TORONTO - The man at the heart of the Maple Leaf Gardens sex scandal is standing trial on new charges related to the alleged sexual abuse of boys decades ago.
Gordon Stuckless, 67, is accused of sexually assaulting three boys between 1978 and 1984.
He is charged with three counts of sexual assault, four counts of buggery, four counts of indecent assault, six counts of gross indecency, and two counts of threatening death.
Court is hearing from a man who says Stuckless repeatedly sexually assaulted him at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens in 1978 and 1979.
Stuckless, who once worked at the famed arena, pleaded guilty in 2014 to more than 100 charges for the crimes he committed against 18 young boys between 1965 and 1985.
He was also convicted of two additional charges of gross indecency linked to two of the victims but cleared on two counts of buggery. The trial judge said that while Stuckless had “probably” committed buggery, that was not enough to convict him on those charges.
He was sentenced last year to 6.5 years in prison, but was given credit of six months for time served under house arrest. Prosecutors are appealing the sentence.
The former assistant teacher and volunteer coach had also previously pleaded guilty in 1997 for sex assaults on 24 boys while he worked as an equipment manager at the Maple Leaf Gardens between 1969 and 1988.
He was sentenced to two years less a day in that case, but that was later increased to six years, less a year for pre-trial custody. He was paroled in 2001 after serving two-thirds of his sentence.
He was convicted on three other occasions of sex offences against a total of nine underage boys, according to court records.
Gordon Stuckless back on trial for new Gardens charges | Toronto & GTA | News |
Memories of sexual abuse at the hands of Gordon Stuckless prompted suicide attempt, court hears
By Sam Pazzano, Toronto Sun
First posted: Wednesday, October 04, 2017 07:13 PM EDT
Terrible childhood memories of sexual abuse at the hands of notorious Maple Leaf Gardens sex predator Gordon Stuckless were simply too much to bear so he tried to commit suicide, a witness told court Wednesday.
The alleged victim was jailed for drug-and-alcohol-fuelled crimes which he blamed on year-long abuse by Stuckless, a former employee at Maple Leaf Gardens. He spotted his tormentor while they were both behind bars in 1996-97.
“It triggered my memory and I started to get nightmares and flashbacks,” said the 51-year-old man, whose identity is covered by a publication ban.
“I tried to kill myself two nights after I passed him in the hallway of the prison. No words were exchanged,” the witness told Justice Malcolm McLeod.
He “buried the abuse for 20 years,” court heard.
He said Stuckless fondled and sexually abused him and his friends when he was 12 and 13 years old inside Maple Leaf Gardens in 1978-79.
Some of the abuse occurred inside the office of Stuckless’ supervisor — a suspected pedophile, who died before he could be charged, court heard.
The witness is the first of three men accusing Stuckless, now 68, of sexually assaulting them between 1978-84.
Stuckless has pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault, four counts of buggery, four counts of indecent assault, six counts of gross indecency, and two counts of threatening death threats.
The man said he and some friends met Stuckless when he caught them sneaking into a Leafs game through a bathroom window in 1978.
Instead of scolding the young boys, Stuckless gave them free access to Leafs games, concerts and wrestling matches through his friend, an usher.
The Gardens employee also used the lure of free hockey memorabilia, visiting players’ sticks, pop and food to bait his prey for his sick pleasure, court heard.
Stuckless engaged him in more than “100 incidents” of sexual abuse, the witness said.
Stuckless is now serving a 6 1/2-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty in 2014 to more than 100 sex crimes he committed against 18 young boys between 1965 and 1985.
He was also convicted of two additional charges of gross indecency linked to two of the victims. The sentence is being appealed.
spazzano@postmedia.com
Memories of sexual abuse at the hands of Gordon Stuckless prompted suicide attem