Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - November 1, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba Manitoba Winnipeg free press wednesday november 1, 2006 a5 child raping couple evil incarnate liquor drugs lured Young girls into horror House by Mike Mcintyre a Winnipeg couple is evil incarnate for run Ning an inner City House of horrors to which Young girls were lured with promises of free liquor and drugs and then savagely raped a Crown attorney said tuesday. The extent of the depravity and perverse Ness of this Case is rarely seen prosecutor Jill Duncan told court in calling for lengthy prison terms against the extent of the both accused. Depravity and these crimes. Its hard to describe any perverseness of thing More horrific than this Case is rarely what they did. It can Only be described As seen ? prosecutor Jill Duncan the Crown wants Terry Ladouceur 39, to serve 16 to 18 years behind bars after he was convicted earlier this year of eight charges including kidnapping forcible confinement uttering threats and sexual assault against two Young victims. Duncan is seeking six to eight years for Ladouceur a common Law wife Lynnette traverse 25, who was convicted of three charges of sexual assault and forcible confinement. For the safety of the Community both accused have to be physically removed from the Community said Duncan. Both Ladouceur and traverse have already served two years of pre trial custody. Their lawyers want that to count As four years because it was time served before sentencing. Ladouceur a lawyer called for Justice Gerald Jewers to impose an additional two year prison term while traverses lawyer says no additional sentence is necessary. Jewers has reserved his decision until nov. 14. Police and Justice officials have called this one of the worst cases they be Ever seen. Ladouceur and traverse created a welcoming environment for neighbourhood youths by offer ing alcohol and marijuana for several years begin Ning in 1999, court was told. They even went after family. A 12-year-old rela Tive told court How she was held As a sex slave by the couple for several months. On at least two occasions the girl said she was Given pills and Alco hol and tied to a bed and raped by Ladouceur while traverse looked on. Police later found disturbing evidence to support her Story including a Small Baggie containing 85 plastic ties stuffed in Between the basement ceiling tiles and heating duct and two vials of Blue and Orange pills in the Kitchen. The teen testified that Ladouceur threatened to Send members of a Winnipeg Street gang and the Hells Angels after her family if she did to comply with his sadistic demands. She also claims he paraded her in front of his criminal friends proudly telling them this is the one As he kept her in a locked room for nearly four straight Days. The girl had been living with her grandmother at the time and was threatened with death if she told anyone about the abuse. She also told court the Man vowed to rape her one year old sister until her eyes popped doctors found Marks on the girls wrist consistent with being restrained and evidence of Multi ple and frequent sexual activity court was told. Another victim 13, testified How she was lured into the Home by traverse and repeatedly raped by Ladouceur. She said she become pregnant with his child at age 16. Traverse was also a willing participant in some of the sex assaults she said. by Dan Lett when Manitoba a progressive conservatives gather in Winnipeg this week end for the party a annual general meeting it wont take Long for them to figure out there a a new sheriff in town. Leader Hugh Mcfadyen who took control of the party just eight months ago said in an interview he and the elected members of the tory caucus have significantly changed the format for the meeting and the Structure of debate about the future policies of the party. The result Mcfadyen said will be a Strong signal to the Manitoba electorate that the progressive conservatives Are a reborn party with a distinct voice in the provinces political Economy. Chief among the changes is the Eleva Tion of infrastructure and education As the top priorities of a Mcfadyen led gov infrastructure education to top tory wish list Ern ment a bold move to replace health care As the perennial number one Issue of provincial governments in Canada. Mcfadyen said the policy shift does represent a risk but its calculated to show younger Manitoban that progressive conservatives represent the party of the future. Its an acknowledgement that the health care system has received the Lions share of new spending since 1999,? he said. We be reached the Point now where we have to look at other another big change seen this weekend will be the elimination of policy resolutions from Riding associations and rank and file party members. Instead the tory caucus along with volunteers and policy advisors have produced eight White papers which out line the Broad strokes of new policies. While Mcfadyen agreed this new strategy takes some influence from the grassroots party members it is a More efficient and intellectually honest Way of Honing party policy. Mcfadyen said As Leader his responsibility is to guide the party through pol icy debates and make party members aware of How different issues affect each other. The weakness of the Resolution sys tem is that it tends to focus on narrow issues without considering the Knock on effect of that Issue on the rest of the pol icy mix he said. Mcfadyen a task is enormous. The Manitoba progressive conservatives struggled for years under the guidance of former Leader Stuart Murray to find their policy Niche. Efforts to claim a wedge Issue in the 2003 provincial election ? eliminating the education portion of property taxes ? failed spectacularly when the party was unable to make its numbers work. The White papers touch on everything from agricultural policy to the Economy and taxation. Mcfadyen said the papers Are not finished policies but will guide party Mem Bers through a series of questions and options available to the party. Following the meeting Mcfadyen said he will coordinate a consultation with party members All Over the province to get their reaction and add in other new ideas. Most of the policies will be held in Reserve for the next provincial election expected sometime in Early 2007. Oth ers Mcfadyen said will be revealed prior to any writ being dropped. And there Are general policy directions that Mcfadyen is already talking about such As lower income taxes. ;