Karl Toft

Karl Richard Toft (June 30, 1936 – April 28, 2018) was a Canadian convicted sex predator and pederast who committed an estimated 200 sexual assaults while working as a guard at the New Brunswick Training School in Kingsclear, New Brunswick. He was regarded as one of Canada's worst sex offenders. In 1994, Toft appealed the sentence but lost. He served 11 years of his sentence and was freed. He was represented by Daniel Watters, who maintained that two-thirds of the allegations were untrue. Toft was convicted in 1991, along with 33 other counts, of the ongoing sexual and, later, physical abuse that occurred during that period. Many of the assaults apparently occurred while inmates were signed out on day passes for field trips initiated or supervised by Toft.

Allegations of sexual misconduct As far back as 1971, Toft was the subject of troubling reports from staff at the New Brunswick Training School. Forbes reported that he took the matter to Cpl. Lillian Ulsh (now Insp. Lillian Ripley) at the Child Protection Branch of the Fredericton Police Department. The witness said that the inmates demanded to know why Toft was still allowed to work at the institution.

Miller Inquiry The Miller Inquiry, conducted by Justice Richard Miller, began in 1992 to investigate "the recognized or perceived institutional misconduct of which children and youth were victims". The inquiry also uncovered incidents of physical abuse

False accusation One former resident at the New Brunswick Training School, Ronald Osborne, alleged that Toft had sexually assaulted him, but later retracted his accusation. Toft had already pleaded guilty to the charge along with the other 34 counts. Osborne claimed he had been bullied by two other former residents of the Training School into making the allegation as a means of getting back at guards. The government paid out $10,159,744.66 to 416 claimants.