ST. CATHARINES - A man facing more than 100 sexual assault charges involving boys in Sarnia could have other complainants who haven’t come forward, police say.
Douglas Harold Patrick, 63, of no fixed address in St. Catharines, was arrested by Niagara Regional Police Tuesday after an eight-month investigation by Sarnia police involving historic sex assaults.
He’s lived in St. Catharines for the past 10 years, but had lived in Sarnia.
Patrick appeared in court in Sarnia Wednesday was held in custody for a Feb. 23 video appearance.
He was charged with 111 historic sex-related offences involving 18 separate victims from 1983 to 1990.
The boys were nine to 15 years old at the time of the alleged offences.
Sarnia Det. Const. Heather Patterson said police believe Patrick targeted boys in his south-end neighbourhood.
He was seen as the “friendly neighbourhood guy” who kept children’s dirt bikes on his lawn for boys to play with, though he didn’t have children of that age.
Boys who visited his house, often with other boys, would allegedly be supplied with alcohol and cigarettes.
A man came forward last year to report being sexually assaulted as a child and told police he believed other children were present and assaulted too.
“It was a domino effect,” Patterson said. “Everyone we spoke with provided a couple more names.”
Although charges were laid in relation to 18 boys, now in their mid-30s and 40s, Patterson said police have spoken with other possible victims in Sarnia who don’t want to come forward.
Patrick, originally from St. Catharines, moved to Sarnia in 1975 for work. He was a dump truck driver and worked for a pest control service there.
In 1992, he was convicted of sexual exploitation involving a 15-year-old boy and was sentenced to six months in jail and two years probation.
About 10 years ago, he moved back to St. Catharines, where police said he has worked driving a delivery truck and has lived at friends’ houses.
Both Sarnia and Niagara Region police said it’s possible there are victims in Niagara.
“We believe there may be people in the community who may have information that could be of assistance to our agency or the Sarnia police service,” said Niagara Det. Sgt. Paul Bevan, of the sexual assault unit.
Charges laid by Sarnia police included sexual assault, gross indecency, sexual exploitation, buggery, invitation to sexual touching, sexual interference, uttering threats to cause death and assault with a weapon.
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