Dozens of women who were sexually abused by former neurologist Keith Hoyte are reeling from the news he’s been charged with abusing even more former patients.
As Global News first reported last week, Hoyte, 73, is charged with 15 new counts of sexual assault against 13 victims.
In Jan. 2020, Hoyte pleaded guilty to 28 counts of sexual assault.
“I’m so disgusted that Hoyte used his position as a doctor to molest his patients for likely his whole career,“ one victim told Global News.
She was the original victim who spurred the police investigation when she went to Calgary police in Feb. 2018 and was one of the 28 victims Hoyte admitted to abusing.
The identities of the victims are protected by a court imposed publication ban.
“I often think about how many people he saw in a day, in a week, in a month,” she added. “I know that there will be many, many more women who come forward when this news story shows up on their feed.”
“Our worst fears have come true,” another victim said in an interview with Global News Monday.
“We knew that there were more victims,” she said. “We’ve always known that in our hearts but to have it confirmed makes it real.”
Police confirm the latest string of assaults are alleged to have happened between 1987 and 2013.
Investigators paid Hoyte a visit in prison to lay the new charges, where he continues to serve his three year sentence that was handed down in Sept. 2020.
In May 2021, the Parole Board of Canada denied both full and day parole stating he has “an overwhelming lack of insight” into his case.
Hoyte’s defence lawyer Alain Hepner said he has not yet spoken to his client about the new charges.
“It’s a bit of a shock there were so many that came forward, I don’t know if that’s the end of it or not,” Hepner said. “Are there going to be more? I don’t know that, we’re dealing with them as they come.”
Hepner admitted he was shocked to learn one of the alleged victims was just 12 years old when the alleged abuse started.
“It is more serious, obviously,” he stated.
Defence plans to visit Hoyte in prison to discuss the charges once he has full disclosure of the allegations from the prosecutor.
Police continue to investigate this case.
“There’s no statute of limitations on sexual offences in Canada, so we do encourage anyone that is ready to report,” Staff Sgt.Michelle Doyle of the sexual assault investigative unit said.
“If we do receive additional reports we will follow through,” Doyle added.
Many of the original 28 victims plan to attend the court proceedings.
“I look forward to the day I can meet these victims face to face and hug them,” one woman said.
Hoyte is scheduled to appear in court to speak to the new charges on Aug. 19.