Former

RCMP officer
on trial

David Ebsary's high school yearbook photo from St. John's Newfoundland. As a pet peeve, he listed "really fat girls who wear
hot pants." He would later become a cadet officer in Newfoundland.

CBC News Posted: Apr 12, 1999 5:36 AM ET Last Updated: Apr 12, 1999
5:36 PM ET
A former RCMP officer went on trial today on nine sex-related charges
involving two young men. The charges against 42-year-old David Ebsary
run from 1983 until 1995, from alleged incidents in Corner Brook, Burgeo,
Rocky Harbour and St. John's.

David Ebsary was well-known in parts of the province for his work with
young people. While he was in charge of the Hopedale detachment, the
RCMP sponsored a youth group. And in 1996, (then) Corporal Ebsary
accompanied some teens to Placentia to accept the gift of a fire truck for
Hopedale from that town council.
But, it was a far different David Ebsary described at the courthouse in St.
John's on Monday.
The first of two men to testify against him referred to Ebsary as a sexual
predator who preys on innocent victims. The man, who is 30 now, said he
was around 14 years old when he first met Ebsary through cadets in
Corner Brook. He said that Ebsary became a confidant, a mentor and
somebody he aspired to be.
He said Ebsary gave him gifts and pocket money and took an interest in his
self-improvement, including his sexual education. It started with Ebsary
showing him how to put on condoms, and advanced to sexual assault. He
said he slept over at Ebsary's place up to a dozen times, and he would
awaken to find Ebsary's hands in his underwear fondling him. He said he
would feign sleep and at times Ebsary would continue his assault.
The man said the assaults lasted for about two years until he got the
courage to ask the police officer why he kept touching his body? He never
got an answer.
Ebsary's lawyer has just begun his cross examination of the man and will
continue that on Tuesday morning.