Innocent until proven guilty, and no rush to judgment are phrases that need to be used when examining cases that present allegations from years gone by. This is particularly true when those allegations are placed upon a highly regarded and respected member of the community who until now has received nothing but accolades for his good deeds.
In a shocking development, it became public knowledge that the longest-serving hockey billet in OHL history, Neil Joynt, was quietly arrested in Kingston last fall on charges of indecent assault and sexual assault against two boys.
Until now, the former OHL billet for 33 years, had not made anyone outside of his family aware of the charges. The case has gone unreported until now because an Ontario justice of the peace ordered a publication ban last fall.
All that changed when the publication ban on Joynt’s identity was lifted by a judge at a pre-trial hearing this week.
Joynt vehemently denies any wrong doing, and has hired one of the best lawyers available to defend him.
The police have said the alleged victims are now adults. The police have also said that the alleged victims came forward and made complaints separately, and that those complaints were made years apart from each other. Authorities have also said that the alleged victims do not know each another.
Tragic. That is the only word that can describe this situation. If true, it is tragic for the alleged victims, and if not true, it is tragic for Joynt. In any event no one involved will ever be the same.
The next court date is scheduled for June.
TJHN will update this story as more information becomes available.
