Ontario man sues estate of former Winnipeg hockey coach accused of sexual assaults

WARNING: Some of the details in this story may be disturbing

An Ontario man is suing the estate of a former Winnipeg hockey coach who he alleges repeatedly sexually assaulted him when he was a teenager in the 1990s.

The man, who is identified only as John Doe in the suit, filed a statement of claim in Manitoba's Court of King's Bench in December against the estate of Robert Dawson.

Winnipeg police charged Robert 'Bob' Dawson with historic sexual assaults, along with multiple child pornography offences, in September 2021, after two people reported they had been assaulted between 1993 and 1995.

Following the charges, the former hockey coach was found dead inside a St. James area hotel in October 2021. The claim says Dawson died by suicide.

John Doe, now in his 40s, intends to seek a publication ban and sealing order to protect his identity, according to the claim.

The claim alleges the man was 12 to 13 years old when he met Dawson, who was coaching his hockey team, in the 1992/93 hockey season. It says Dawson “progressively pursued a relationship of trust,” with the boy – offering him rides to and from hockey practices, taking him to Winnipeg Jets games, and inviting him to watch movies and TV at his house.

The claim says Dawson, who also worked as a lawyer in the city, helped the boy prepare for entrance exams at St. Paul's High School, and offered him part-time work helping to prepare for legal cases.

The claim alleges that around 1994 when the boy was 14 years old, Dawson started asking him to wear certain clothing including black brief-style shorts and a tight-fitting black t-shirt with the word 'SLAVE' on it, and would take photos of him.

"…Dawson would explain his requests by advising that he was preparing evidence or information for a legal case or file," the claim says.

But Dawson's demands continued to escalate, the claim says, alleging Dawson would tie the boy to a bed, would make him wear paraphernalia including hoods, blindfolds and ball gags, and would give him alcohol to drink.

While tied up, the claim says Dawson would physically and sexually assault him.

"…Dawson repeatedly photographed and videotaped the Plaintiff in compromising and degrading situations, of a sexual nature," the claim says, alleging this amounted to the production of child pornography.

After the assaults, the claim says Dawson would drive the boy home and warn him not to tell anyone about what happened if he wanted to continue playing hockey or stay enrolled at St. Paul's High School.

He told him no one would believe the word of an adolescent over the word of a respected coach and lawyer, the claim says.

The assaults occurred from 1994 to 1997, the claim says.

"…As a result of Dawson's threats, and as a result of the psychological trauma and harm caused by Dawson's assaults on the Plaintiff, the Plaintiff did not report Dawson's assaults until 2021 when he reported Dawson's assaults to the Winnipeg Police Service," the claim reads.

The man is seeking damages from Dawson's estate.

As of Thursday, no statement of defence had been filed.

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A 24-hour sexual assault crisis line is available by phone at [phone] or toll-free at 1-888-292-7565. More support for survivors of sexual assaults can be found through Klinic Community Health's sexual assault crisis program.