Wayne Hankey, retired Halifax university professor facing sex-assault charges, dies

HALIFAX -

A retired University of King's College professor who was facing a series of sex-assault charges in connection with alleged incidents in the 1970s and 1980s has died.

Wayne John Hankey's death was confirmed in a statement released Sunday by William Lahey, the university's president and vice-chancellor, who said the Halifax school had been "made aware of the death."

Lahey extended condolences to the family and said an independent review process that was established by the university in February 2021 would proceed despite the death of the 77-year-old Hankey.

He said the review "has always been separate from any criminal justice matters", adding that King's remains "committed to learning from the findings of this process."

Hankey was charged last February with one count of sexual assault in relation to a 1988 incident in student housing on the King's College campus.

Police added another sexual assault charge last April in connection with an alleged assault involving another man in 1982 and added charges of indecent assault in relation to incidents involving a third man that are alleged to have occurred between 1977 and 1979. Hankey retired in 2015.

The university has previously said Hankey was disciplined by King's in 1991 following an internal inquiry by a university committee. He returned to the university after a one-year suspension.

The university also said that the disciplinary committee's report could no longer be located.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 7, 2022.