A mother says she is “extremely disappointed” after learning Thursday that a Halifax man accused of pimping her daughter and other teenagers had been granted bail after more than two years on remand.
“I didn’t think he was going to get out,” the woman, who cannot be named because of a publication ban on the identity of her daughter, told The Chronicle Herald on Sunday.
“I thought he had zero chance of being granted bail, especially with such heinous crimes. You’re dealing with so many charges here and several young women.”
Duncan Robertson Wright, 46, is scheduled to stand trial in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in September on 25 charges involving five teens.
The charges include trafficking a person under the age of 18, receiving financial benefit from human trafficking, four counts of procuring someone under 18 to provide sexual services for consideration, three counts of sexual assault and six counts of making, distributing or possessing child pornography.
Wright was arrested in April 2017 but didn’t apply for bail until recently.
Supreme Court Justice Josh Arnold ruled Thursday that Wright could be released on a $28,000 recognizance with three sureties — his father, sister and her husband.
Wright and his father each posted $10,000 cash for bail, while his sister and brother-in-law pledged $8,000 in personal property.
The judge placed Wright on house arrest at his sister’s home on Hartland Drive in Grand Lake and ordered him to report to police by phone every Friday and deposit his passport with the lead investigator.
At least one of the sureties must be in the home with Wright at all times. He can only leave the house for medical emergencies and appointments or legal commitments, provided he’s escorted by a surety.
Wright is prohibited from having a cellphone, laptop computer or any other device capable of connecting to the internet, and from using email, texts or any other form of electronic messaging.
“Money talks,” said the woman who spoke with the Herald. “I am extremely disappointed that he’s out.”
She said her daughter, now 18, was only 16 when she was allegedly abused by Wright.
Her daughter’s mental health was poor before she was “preyed upon,” the woman said, and worsened as a result of what she went through.
“She’s tried to take her own life twice,” the woman said. “She suffers from severe panic attacks. She’s almost 19 years old and she has to sleep in the bed with me every night.
“She is on medication now because of all of this and it was starting to make her feel better. … We were finally getting a plan in place. She wanted to go back to school in the fall and get a part-time job.
“And now this happening, letting him out, has brought all of the memories back. ... We’re scared again. We’re scared for our lives. And now I’m afraid he’s going to do something to someone else.”
The woman said she and her daughter have not been treated fairly by the police or the courts.
“I don’t have any faith at all in the system,” she said. “I’m sorry.”
