Former Truro Prison Guard Charged with Sexual Assault of Inmates

UPDATE: Brian Wilson Has Beem Sentenced to Serve Time in Federal Custody for Sexually Assaulting Inmates in Truro Prison

Justice Jeffery Hunt has accepted the joint recommendation on a sentence from Crown and defense lawyers. Wilson will concurrently serve three years for each count of sexual assault and six months for each count of breach of trust. (7)

Wilson will be banned from owning firearms for 10 years after his release, must give a sample of his DNA, and has to register as a sexual offender for life. While he is prison, he is not allowed to contact any of the victims or any women who are or have been incarcerated.

UPDATE: Brian Wilson Pleads Guilty on 3 Charges of Sexual Assault and 3 Charges of Battery in Relation to Three Women

The former prison guard from the Nova institution for Women in Truro, N.S. pleaded guilty to six charges in relation to the sexual assaults of three women. Brian Wilson’s nine-day jury trial in the Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Truro came to an abrupt end once had had pleaded guilty for all 6 charges. His sentencing will take place in June which will give time for a pre-sentence report and for victims to prepare their impact statements. The Crown and defence will be making a joint sentencing recommendation [6]

A former prison guard, Brian Lee Wilson, at the Nova Scotia Institution for Women in Truro, Nova Scotia is awaiting trial on the allegations of sexually assaulting five prison inmates.[1]

The Truro Police Service received a complaint from the Correctional Service of Canada in March 2019 that Wilson was responsible for several inappropriate sexual relationships with several inmates at the Nova Institution. Wilson was placed on administrative leave a few months earlier.[2] In April 2019 Wilson resigned from his position.[3]

Wilson was arrested in May 2020 resulting from the criminal investigation on six charges of sexual assault and breach of trust by a public official and one count of communicating for the purpose of sexual services. Subsequently, additional charges were laid against Wilson including threatening the same woman in August 2020, assaulting her in June 2021, and three counts of breaching release conditions in September 2020 and June 2021.[4] He later was released and ordered to have no contact with 29 people.[5] On March 21, 2022, Wilson will be tried by the Supreme Court judge and jury. The trial is set to last for 10 days.

Civil Suits Filed Against the Nova Scotia Institution for Women

Approximately a month prior to Wilson resigning in April of 2019, three former prison inmates initiated civil suits against the Nova Scotia Institution for Women. These lawsuits alleged negligence on the part of the institution to not adequately protect the inmates and to failure to adequality screen and monitor Wilson.

Institutional Abuse and Sexual Abuse

Institutional abuse of individuals, whether they are elderly, disable, or children, is a great concern in society today. Unfortunately, numerous institutions, schools, churches, and other organizations have been accused of such mistreatment and of turning a blind eye to the physical, emotional, and sexual abuses that were inflicted upon persons in their care or custody.

Furthermore, sexual abuse has additional physical and psychological effects, which can dramatically alter the life of a victim. As most abusers are family, friends, or individuals in a position of authority it can often take years of decades for a survivor to come forward.

No Time Limit on Bringing Institutional Abuse or Sexual Abuse Claims in Nova Scotia

 In 2015, the Nova Scotia Legislature adopted the Limitation of Actions Act, SNS 2014, c 35, which removed any time limitation on when a lawsuit must be filed in regard to sexual abuse or claims based on emotional, physical, or financial dependency (such as being an inmate at a prison or jail or other institution), even if the claim occurred before 2015 and a prior limitation period had expired. This means that historical victims of sexual abuse or abuse while under the care of an institution who are now ready to come forward can initiate lawsuits, even though the abuse happened years or even decades previous.

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.

[1] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/former-prison-guard-judge-jury-sex-assault-trial-1.5961940

[2] https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/news/former-truro-prison-guard-charged-with-sexual-assault-in-shelburne-county-100680383/

[3] https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/news/former-truro-prison-guard-charged-with-sexual-assault-in-shelburne-county-100680383/

[4] https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/news/former-truro-prison-guard-charged-with-sexual-assault-in-shelburne-county-100680383/

[5] https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/news/former-truro-prison-guard-charged-with-sexual-assault-in-shelburne-county-100680383/