Anthony Gough rape conviction spurs calls for further police investigation
Advocacy group says Gough worked one-on-one with intellectually disabled at Quest facility
The conviction of a former non-profit director for sexual assault is prompting calls for police to also investigate his time employed at Quest, a Lower Sackville facility that serves Nova Scotians with psychological and behavioural challenges.
Last week, Anthony Leo Gough was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to raping a 17-year-old girl with an intellectual disability in the back of a bus during a March Break camp.
At the time, the 49-year-old served as executive director of Social Opportunities and Rec Society of Nova Scotia, an organization that cares for intellectually and physically disabled people.
But he had also been a part-time residential rehabilitation worker at the Quest Regional Rehabilitation Centre.
"There are many people there with an intellectual disability, at varying levels of abilities," says Brenda Hardiman, with Advocating Parents Nova Scotia, an advocacy group for people with intellectual disabilities.
"Some can speak out and some can't. We have some concerns about Gough's recent conviction of ... rape against an individual with an intellectual disability."
RCMP spokesman Cpl. Greg Church said police did receive one call and returned it, left a voice mail, but never heard back.
"Our investigators are very interested in the talking to her," Church said.
He said police told Quest that Gough had been charged, but no new information came to light.
Hardiman says Gough worked one-on-one with residents at Quest and an investigation is warranted to uncover whether there are any victims at the facility. She says her group is disappointed with the apparent lack of police response.
"Where he worked with this population so closely, and where he had multiple opportunities to victimize many people, we shouldn't have to be asking for this investigation," she said.
'Unlimited supply of victims'
"He'd have an unlimited supply of victims," she said, adding a police investigation into Gough's time at Quest should have been "automatic" after he was accused of sexual assault.
Hardiman also says Quest should have alerted the parents of residents to the charges against Gough.
"We think it should be done," she said. "Every family member of a resident who lives there should be contacted."
In a written statement to CBC, Quest's acting executive director, Phyllis Williams, said Gough was a part-time employee. She said a current criminal records check is required for all employees at the time of hire.
"During his employment with Quest, we had no concerns or issues with Mr. Gough's performance as a residential rehabilitation worker," she said. "Quest cooperated with the RCMP in their investigation of the matter at that time."