{"id":30586,"date":"2021-05-03T01:00:40","date_gmt":"2021-05-03T01:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wagners1.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/wayne-hankey-charge-with-sexual-abuse\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T22:24:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T22:24:02","slug":"wayne-hankey-charge-with-sexual-abuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wagners.co\/es\/blog\/wayne-hankey-charge-with-sexual-abuse\/","title":{"rendered":"Wayne Hankey, Charged With Sexual Abuse"},"content":{"rendered":"\nUPDATE: <\/strong>Accuser Files Lawsuit Against Universities, Anglican Church and Estate<\/strong>\n\nWagners Law Firm has filed a civil lawsuit for sexual assault, filed last month in the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, and naming the board of governors at King's, Dalhousie University, the Anglican Diocesan Synod of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and Hankey's estate.\n\nUPDATE: Wayne Hankey, Professor at Dalhousie University: Wagners Investigates Civil Actions <\/strong>\n\nWayne Hankey<\/a> a former Professor at Dalhousie University and King\u2019s College was charged in February 2021 with sexual assault arising from a complaint of abuse dating back to 1988. On March 26, 2021, Hankey entered a not guilty plea and asked for a trial by judge alone.<\/a>[1]<\/a> The trial is currently scheduled for March 3, 2022.<\/a>\"[39]<\/a>\n\nOn April 13, 2021, Halifax police charged Hankey with sexual assault dating back to 1982 as a result of a complaint by a new male victim. Additionally, the Police charged Hankey with indecent assault dating back to 1977-1979 as result of a complainant of a differing male victim.<\/a>[31]<\/a> On June 1, 2021 further charges of sexual assault indecent assault were added for the 1977-1979 incidents.<\/a>[41]<\/a> On July 23, 2021, Hankey entered a not guilty plea in regards to these charges and trial dates are pending.\n\n[42]<\/a>\n\nOn May 4, 2021, Raymond F<\/a>. Wagner of Wagners<\/a> was interviewed by the CBC in regard to the Wayne Hankey charges and the independent review currently undertaken by King\u2019s College:\n\nRay Wagner<\/a>, a Halifax lawyer who often litigates class action, said a civil lawsuit against King's is almost guaranteed.<\/strong>\n\n\"People are coming forward in the criminal context. If they're brave enough to come in the criminal context, they're surely going to bring a civil action,\" said Wagner, who is a graduate of the Dalhousie law school and also disclosed his law firm is a major contributor to the school's restorative justice lab. \"I would wager a pretty good set of odds that this is going to happen.<\/a>\" <\/strong>[38]<\/strong><\/a>\n\nOn May 14, 2021 on again be interviewed by the CBC Raymond F. Wager of Wagners<\/a> that he expects further victims to come forward:\n\n\"People get empowered by the fact that others \u2014 the brave ones \u2014 have broken the ice and have come forward and put their names out as victims to this and put their circumstances out there. It does empower people.<\/a>\" <\/strong>[40]<\/strong><\/a>\n\nThis is the not the first time that it has been alleged that Mr. Hankey committed indecent sexual acts.\u00a0On July 29, 1981, Hankey was caught by King\u2019s campus security at a pool at King\u2019s College, naked and giving a piggyback ride to a naked male who was a suspected minor. <\/a>[33] <\/a>The incident was reported to the president of King\u2019s at the time John Godfrey. <\/a>[34]<\/a>\n\nIn 1990, King\u2019s College received a complaint against Hankey for sexual abuse dating back to 1977-1979. The Anglican Church hired a private investigator to investigate this allegation as well as the 1981 pool incident. <\/a>[35]<\/a> The Anglican ecclesiastical court charged Hankey with immorality and Hankey was subsequently stripped of his religious duties and office.<\/a>[3]<\/a>\u00a0 Despite these allegations, Hankey was allowed to return to teach at King\u2019s and was subsequently employed as a professor at Dalhousie University.<\/a>[4]<\/a>\n\nOn April 7, 2019, Hankey approached Aaron Shenkman a member King\u2019s College Chapel Choir and also Student at King\u2019s College and invited them to dinner at his home. On April 8, 2019, Hankey made sexual advances at his home on Aaron Shenkman.<\/a>[5]<\/a> In October 2019, Aaron Shenkman complained to the University of King\u2019s College Chapel\u2019s Assistant Director, the University of King\u2019s College\u2019s president, and the University of King\u2019s College\u2019s chaplain\u00a0 about Hankey.<\/a>[6]<\/a> On November 19, 2019, Halifax\u2019s Cathedral Church of All Saints banned Hankey from the chapel.<\/a>[7]<\/a>\n\nDalhousie and the Halifax Regional Police have both encouraged those who believe that they have been victimized to come forward and report their experiences.<\/a>[17]<\/a>\n\nCivil Lawsuits against Hankey, King\u2019s College, and Dalhousie University<\/strong>\n\nIt is likely that, civil lawsuits will be filed against Hankey and King\u2019s College and\/or Dalhousie University as result of the sexual abuse allegations. Generally, in these instances, these types of lawsuits will claim that educational institutions failed to protect the victims and failed to take steps to remove an individual when they became aware, or ought to have been made aware, that there were allegations that an individual was committing sexual abuse or exploitation. The purpose of these lawsuits is for victims to see monetary compensation for pain and suffering, lost income, valuable services, and the cost of care (e.g. psychological counselling). Wagners<\/a>\u00a0has the experience required to help you navigate your historical\u00a0sexual abuse claim<\/a>. We understand it may take years or even decades for a victim to come forward.\n\nNo Time Limit on Bringing Sexual Assault Claims in Nova Scotia<\/strong>\n\nIn 2015, the Nova Scotia Legislature made amendments to the Limitation of Actions Act<\/em>, SNS 2014, c 35 which removed any time limitation on when a lawsuit must be filed in regard to sexual abuse. This means that historical victims of sexual abuse that are now ready to come forward can initiate lawsuits despite the fact the abuse happened years or even decades previously.\n\nChronology of Accusations and Charges of Sexual Abuse against Wayne Hankey<\/strong>\n