After months of delays, Tony Humby’s trial on dozens of sexual violence charges finally began this morning in provincial court.
RNC investigators were the first witnesses called today, describing how a single complaint in November of 2022 led to the arrests of Humby and Bruce Escott, the latter since convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison.
It’s alleged the two worked together for years from their homes in the Anne Jeannette trailer park in St. John’s east end, sexually abusing vulnerable youth in exchange for smokes, drugs and booze.
Court heard that police were aware of earlier complaints made against Humby, but that victims were reluctant to come forward or give statements.
Tony Humby is escorted into provincial court this morning for the long-awaiting start of his trial on more than 70 sexual violence charges. pic.twitter.com/yODNY9ZZ4O
— VOCM News (@VOCMNEWS) August 27, 2025
But all that changed in 2023 when RNC did a review of numerous files which turned up other allegations that quickly saw the case “grow exponentially in size,” according the Crown’s Deidre Badcock.
“So files that were previously closed were looked at again?” she asked. “Yes,” replied lead investigator RNC Sgt. Amanda Harnum.
The trial is scheduled to run sporadically from now until next May. But hanging over it all is a so-called Jordan application that seeks to have all the charges thrown out due to trial delays.
Arguments on that front will be made at some point during the trial, which continues today and resumes Thursday morning.
Humby is also facing almost 20 other unrelated charges of sexual abuse and human trafficking, which will be dealt with separately.
