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She had seen all kinds of victims and perpetrators during her career at the Ottawa courthouse, heard all kinds of courtroom accusations and allegations.
But she never expected to be victimized herself, and certainly not within the very courthouse where she works.
The Ottawa woman, who cannot be identified due to a publication ban, alleges she was sexually assaulted by a fellow courthouse employee in the man’s courthouse office. After she reported the assault to a supervisor, she was immediately urged to contact police.
A week later, in mid-November 2017, according to the woman, Timothy Patten was escorted from the building, where he worked as a court staff supervisor.
Patten, 44, appeared before a judge last week in the same courthouse, charged with one count of sexual assault.
“It’s one thing to work in the (court) system. It’s a whole other thing to be going through it,” said the woman. “I never thought I’d be talking to a Crown (attorney) or a victim services worker. I never thought I’d be going through this.”
Patten was formally charged on Feb. 7. The sexual assault is alleged to have occurred at the courthouse, at 161 Elgin Street, between November 2016 and Nov. 10, 2017, according to court documents. He has not yet entered a plea, and none of the allegations has been tested in court.
Patten is the son of former Ottawa Centre MPP Richard Patten.
Richard Patten said he was not aware of the criminal charges facing his son when contacted by a reporter this week.
First elected to the Ontario legislature in 1987, Richard Patten served one term in the cabinet of premier David Peterson’s Liberal government. He was chief executive officer of the CHEO Foundation for five years before returning to Queen’s Park as MPP for Ottawa Centre in 1995, and was twice re-elected before announcing he would not seek the seat in 2007. He was succeeded in Ottawa Centre by Yasir Naqvi, now Ontario’s Attorney General, and Timothy Patten’s current boss.
Timothy Patten, according to his LinkedIn profile, began working as a client service representative at the Ottawa courthouse, which falls under the purview of the attorney general, in 2010.
He was promoted to supervisor of court operations in June 2015, according to his profile.
Patten’s lawyer, Yves Jubinville, based in L’Orignal, declined comment on the charges.
“I’m not interested to comment at this point, neither is my client. Maybe at a later time,” he wrote.
“I knew who Tim’s dad was,” said the woman, who said Patten’s lineage was common knowledge around the courthouse. “I knew he had strong political connections, and I’m just an average Joe. I don’t have political connections or an influential family in Ottawa. And that was part of it, I was fearful: Who’s going to believe me?” the woman said.
The attorney general’s office declined to say when it was made aware of the criminal charges against Patten, and would not say whether Patten has been suspended, though the woman said he has not been seen at work in months.
“As there is a criminal matter currently before the courts, and as your questions relate to human resources matters which must remain confidential, it would be inappropriate for the ministry to comment,” wrote ministry spokesman Brian Gray.
Ottawa police also said they could not comment as the matter is before the courts.
As part of his release conditions, Patten is forbidden from communicating either directly or indirectly with the woman, and is barred from going to “any place (the complainant) may be,” according to court documents, except during scheduled appearances before a judge.
Patten and the woman knew each other. He often texted her, and often, the text messages were unwanted, the woman says.
She claims she started receiving text messages inviting her to visit Patten in his office, in another section of the courthouse.
She visited him twice and chatted, but on the third visit, on Oct. 27 at 3 p.m., she alleges, he attacked her.
“He locked me in his office, he sat down behind his desk. … Then he wheeled himself out in front of where I’m sitting. I was sitting with my knees against my chest. He tried to spread my knees apart. He did a gesture (indicating) performing oral sex on me. I said, ‘Stop.’ I crossed my legs. He kept asking me what colour of underwear I was wearing and tried to grab at it. I hit his hand away and said, ‘Stop. No.’
“He went down my shirt, down my bra, groped me. I stood up. He grabbed me, kissed me and I unlocked the door and ran out of the office.”
The woman said she told a supervisor on Nov. 3, who encouraged her to report everything to police.
“My personal life has been affected. Before I decided to come out, my anxiety was through the roof — I wasn’t sleeping, I wasn’t eating,” she said. “I didn’t want to go in to work. I was letting it take control of every part of my life — my personal life, my work life. Everything was being affected and finally, after what he did to me, I’ve had enough. I can’t let this control me.”
Patten is due back in court next week.
ahelmer@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/helmera
查看原文...
But she never expected to be victimized herself, and certainly not within the very courthouse where she works.
The Ottawa woman, who cannot be identified due to a publication ban, alleges she was sexually assaulted by a fellow courthouse employee in the man’s courthouse office. After she reported the assault to a supervisor, she was immediately urged to contact police.
A week later, in mid-November 2017, according to the woman, Timothy Patten was escorted from the building, where he worked as a court staff supervisor.
Patten, 44, appeared before a judge last week in the same courthouse, charged with one count of sexual assault.
“It’s one thing to work in the (court) system. It’s a whole other thing to be going through it,” said the woman. “I never thought I’d be talking to a Crown (attorney) or a victim services worker. I never thought I’d be going through this.”
Patten was formally charged on Feb. 7. The sexual assault is alleged to have occurred at the courthouse, at 161 Elgin Street, between November 2016 and Nov. 10, 2017, according to court documents. He has not yet entered a plea, and none of the allegations has been tested in court.
Patten is the son of former Ottawa Centre MPP Richard Patten.
Richard Patten said he was not aware of the criminal charges facing his son when contacted by a reporter this week.
First elected to the Ontario legislature in 1987, Richard Patten served one term in the cabinet of premier David Peterson’s Liberal government. He was chief executive officer of the CHEO Foundation for five years before returning to Queen’s Park as MPP for Ottawa Centre in 1995, and was twice re-elected before announcing he would not seek the seat in 2007. He was succeeded in Ottawa Centre by Yasir Naqvi, now Ontario’s Attorney General, and Timothy Patten’s current boss.
Timothy Patten, according to his LinkedIn profile, began working as a client service representative at the Ottawa courthouse, which falls under the purview of the attorney general, in 2010.
He was promoted to supervisor of court operations in June 2015, according to his profile.
Patten’s lawyer, Yves Jubinville, based in L’Orignal, declined comment on the charges.
“I’m not interested to comment at this point, neither is my client. Maybe at a later time,” he wrote.
“I knew who Tim’s dad was,” said the woman, who said Patten’s lineage was common knowledge around the courthouse. “I knew he had strong political connections, and I’m just an average Joe. I don’t have political connections or an influential family in Ottawa. And that was part of it, I was fearful: Who’s going to believe me?” the woman said.
The attorney general’s office declined to say when it was made aware of the criminal charges against Patten, and would not say whether Patten has been suspended, though the woman said he has not been seen at work in months.
“As there is a criminal matter currently before the courts, and as your questions relate to human resources matters which must remain confidential, it would be inappropriate for the ministry to comment,” wrote ministry spokesman Brian Gray.
Ottawa police also said they could not comment as the matter is before the courts.
As part of his release conditions, Patten is forbidden from communicating either directly or indirectly with the woman, and is barred from going to “any place (the complainant) may be,” according to court documents, except during scheduled appearances before a judge.
Patten and the woman knew each other. He often texted her, and often, the text messages were unwanted, the woman says.
She claims she started receiving text messages inviting her to visit Patten in his office, in another section of the courthouse.
She visited him twice and chatted, but on the third visit, on Oct. 27 at 3 p.m., she alleges, he attacked her.
“He locked me in his office, he sat down behind his desk. … Then he wheeled himself out in front of where I’m sitting. I was sitting with my knees against my chest. He tried to spread my knees apart. He did a gesture (indicating) performing oral sex on me. I said, ‘Stop.’ I crossed my legs. He kept asking me what colour of underwear I was wearing and tried to grab at it. I hit his hand away and said, ‘Stop. No.’
“He went down my shirt, down my bra, groped me. I stood up. He grabbed me, kissed me and I unlocked the door and ran out of the office.”
The woman said she told a supervisor on Nov. 3, who encouraged her to report everything to police.
“My personal life has been affected. Before I decided to come out, my anxiety was through the roof — I wasn’t sleeping, I wasn’t eating,” she said. “I didn’t want to go in to work. I was letting it take control of every part of my life — my personal life, my work life. Everything was being affected and finally, after what he did to me, I’ve had enough. I can’t let this control me.”
Patten is due back in court next week.
ahelmer@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/helmera
查看原文...
