The Yarmouth RCMP charged an elementary school principal with sexually assaulting a minor. The RCMP report that in June 2022, they received a complaint of sexual assault that occurred between the fall of 2001 and the summer of 2002 when the complainant was 14 years old.
On July 26, 2022, Mark Alexander Thornton, 51 years of age, from Yarmouth was arrested. He has been charged with sexual exploitation and sexual assault. He has since been released on conditions and will be expected to appear in Yarmouth provincial court on October 11, 2022. (1)
Thornton an employee of the Tri-County Regional Centre for Education has now been placed on administrative leave. He is listed on a provincial website as the principal of Plymouth School, an elementary school 10 kilometers east of Yarmouth. The regional executive director for Tri-Country Jared Purdy has stated that they will be fully cooperating with the RCMP investigation but are unable to comment further on matters before the courts.
Yarmouth RCMP think there may be other victims who have yet to come forward.
Your Legal Options After Sexual or Institutional Abuse
At Wagners, we’ve met survivors of sexual or institutional abuse who find it extremely difficult to share their experiences, even with a lawyer. We have a team that is professional and compassionate so you can rely on their experience to explain your legal options and provide the assistance you need to fight for your fair compensation. Abuse survivors can trust us to use the information they share to ensure the person or institution responsible are brought to justice. We take the time to evaluate the specifics of your case and advise on the best legal option to help you receive the monetary compensation you need to recover from the abuse you endured.
File criminal charges: If you take this option, you will not get monetary compensation. Investigations will be done, and the accused will be arrested if sufficient evidence is found. If the defendant is found guilty, he or she could face punishment like imprisonment.
Civil lawsuit: In this case, we pursue the case on behalf of the survivor in civil court. If found at fault, the assailant will be required to pay monetary compensation, which would assist the survivor to recover from the abuse.
Class action lawsuit: It is also possible to file a class action lawsuit against an assailant who assaulted several people. The group of survivors can come together to collectively file a class action suit against the person or institution that was responsible for the assault or abuse.
Compensation
At Wagners, we firmly believe that no amount of compensation can eliminate the pain and suffering that your assailant caused, but there is so much good that comes from a successfully resolved institutional or sexual abuse claim. As a survivor, the monetary compensation you receive can assist you to recover from the abuse and cater to the medical costs involved. Holding the assailant accountable also restores your dignity and encourages other victims of sexual and institutional abuse to come out and seek justice as well.
The amount of compensation you deserve for your sexual or institutional abuse claim will depend on many factors. Some of these factors include:
How the abuse affected your ability to support yourself and make sufficient income
The type of medical treatment you need or you have sought due to the abuse
The personal or unique circumstances of your lawsuit
We know that sexual or institutional abuse is a terrible experience, and many victims usually have a heavy burden that they are likely to carry for a long time. For this reason, we offer reliable legal assistance that you need to get the monetary burden off your shoulders. Our main goal is to build a strong strategy and successfully fight for your rights.
- https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/rcmp-charge-educator-yarmouth-with-historical-sexual-assault-1.6533998 ; https://globalnews.ca/news/9019309/n-s-school-principal-charged-with-sexually-assaulting-child-2-decades-ago/ ; https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/news/yarmouth-man-charged-following-investigation-into-two-decade-old-sexual-assault-100757615/