Ethiopian Review

LONDON – A London poet, literary activist and publisher is charged with numerous child pornography offences, including one linked to his writing.

Wayne Scott Ray, 58, a former police officer, is charged with making, possessing and distributing child pornography.

He faces one count of producing child pornography, which stems from “the written word”, said London police Const. Amy Phillipo.

He also faces three counts of possessing child pornography and two counts of distributing child pornography. Those charges are tied to digital images and videos, Phillipo said.

Wearing a black T-shirt and khaki shorts, Ray appeared briefly in court, waived his right to have his charges read out to him, and was sent back to jail until he could get a lawyer for a bail hearing Monday.

Among Ray’s literary endeavours:

Started HMS Press in 1985.

Co-founded the Canadian Poetry Association in 1985, and currently runs the local chapter

Helped establish the London Arts Council and was president of the New London Arts Festival.

His HMS Press helped the London Abused Women’s Centre publish Rise Up Singing, an anthology by women on abuse.

In 2006, published Going Down Goose Lane Toward Broken Jaw: Fredericton Poems and Stories by Wayne Ray. Ray lived in Fredericton and worked for Canada Post but returned to London.

Was a featured author in Artscape Magazine in April 2007.

In 2008, launched a magazine called Erotic T Magazine, listing himself as editor and publisher.

Ray was an Ontario Provincial police constable for nearly a year in the late 1970s, said OPP Sgt. Dave Rektor.

Ray served from December 1978 to November 1979.

He worked out of the Downsview detachment in Toronto, his human resources file shows. The file says Ray “resigned from service.”

Ray came to London in 1988 and has promoted poetry by sponsoring readings, producing books and CDs, and holding book fairs.

London Abused Women’s Centre executive director Megan Walker said she was shocked by the charges. None of the women or their children had any contact with Ray during the book’s production, she added.

“The book was published to assist local women writers and we reached out to the community for help, and he was more than willing to help,” Walker said.

Another woman, who asked not to be named, said Ray helped create her website. She learned of the charges from a reporter and said she was going to call police to make sure they knew about her website and Ray’s creation of it.

One London writer who worked with Ray on a collaboration of poetry and prose didn’t want to comment.

The charges against Ray came after London police were contacted by Vancouver Police and the RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Co-ordination Centre.

By KATE DUBINSKI | cnews