Police chief wanted to play "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Big Bad Wolf"

[matcom]

<snip>

The sexual harassment trial of Richard Taylor, the now-retired Hamilton police chief accused of harassing a department employee, began in civil court yesterday with the jury listening to suggestive audio tapes from the accuser's home answering machine.

Dawn Bearce, 45, who worked as a records officer, filed the harassment suit against Taylor because, she said, he repeatedly tried to kiss her at work and made obscene gestures with his tongue.

When they were in front of others, however, he acted properly, she said.

Bearce claims Taylor wanted her to pretend to be the fictional Little Red Riding Hood and he would be the Big Bad Wolf.

Questioned by Eugene Melody, her lawyer, Bearce said that was a sexual fantasy Taylor had. Taylor's lawyer, Edward Bertucio, objected.

A voice on Bearce's answering machine, which she identified as Taylor's, was heard yesterday repeatedly calling Bearce and making various remarks, including: "Hi. It's the Big Bad Wolf saying good night. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

On the witness stand yesterday, Bearce said she never had any sort of romantic relationship with Taylor. She said she began to suffer anxiety attacks and migraines because of his alleged advances.

She said the portion of the tapes in which Taylor called her "Doll" humiliated her. In another message the voice on the phone said, "Valentine, Cupid calling you to say have a nice night." In others he told her he missed her and asked why she wouldn't pick up the phone.

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