Prime Time Crime

By John Pifer

Amid all the focus and media hype that surrounded the provincial health-care strike/turmoil and the looming federal election, there was one story this month that only briefly drew outrage and attention before slipping off the radar screens of public attention.

It is a story that deserves to be examined and spotlighted further, if only to send warning signals through the supposed elite of our society that they deserve as much, if not more, scrutiny as Mr. And Mrs. Average British Columbian might.

The case is that of former provincial court judge Donald William Ramsey in Prince George, who pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual misconduct and abuse with girls as young as 12 years old. This innocuous-looking grandfatherly type was thus revealed to be a scheming, bullying brutal sexual predator who abused young girls and his position of trust and authority.

Ramsey’s public disgrace only adds to the concerns that our judicial system needs to be removed from being considered above reproach, and beyond scrutiny or criticism. The legal profession may circle these wagons all it wants, the truth is that Ramsey is likely not the only rotten stinking apple in the judicial barrel.

Rather than cast aspersions on any of his colleagues, let’s just look at what this rapist thug did. He bashed one 16-year-old’s head into a car dashboard, then raped her, and left her bleeding and in pain, after threatening her with worse if she revealed his actions.

Repeatedly, this pervert got away with raping, hurting and threatening these girls, many of whom appeared before him in his role as judge; and repeatedly, His (Dis)Honour treated them like dirt and savaged their bodies and spirit, using their own case files to plot his campaign to make these vulnerable girls little more than his sex slaves.

Now this arrogant bastard is being labelled by some as deserving of “great credit” for resigning from his position of authority in 2002. Gee, wasn’t that swell of him!

It gets worse. Ramsey’s lawyer downplayed his client’s role as sexual predator and abuser as being merely “a significant character flaw”. No kidding, Sherlock, what was your first clue? He also portrayed Dear Donald as being contrite and remorseful, and he may well be … especially now that he has been caught. It is to be hoped that no consideration at all is given to that load of B.S., when it comes to punishing this jackal.

The sentencing of this twisted sexual deviant comes next, with some “supporters” already crying crocodile tears that he might have to do as much as three years of “hard time”. Gee, he is such a poor victim, isn’t he?!

It is to be hoped that just for once, our (in)justice system delivers true punishment to fit the crimes of this oleaginous cretin, and sends him to jail for 10 years or more. We can only hope that it is to a real jail, too, not to one of those glorified country clubs that our prison system is so infamous for providing even to violent offenders who are beyond redemption or rehabilitation.

It will not be long before we find out, as B.C. Supreme Court Associate Chief Justice Patrick Dohm is to hear submissions and pass sentence on June 1. May he in his wisdom ensure that the stories and suffering of the victims carry more weight as he renders his decision, than does the disingenuous supposed suffering of the perpetrator.

Veteran B.C. journalist/broadcaster John Pifer may be reached at jwpifer@shaw.ca.