Bruce Escott, an 82-year-old former taxi driver involved in a massive sexual exploitation case in St. John’s, pleaded guilty in provincial court on Friday to seven counts of sex offences.

Escott walked slowly into a crowded courtroom Friday morning, taking a moment to survey the two rows of seats.

Several police officers, social workers and one of his victims looked back.

Moments later, Escott’s attorney, MacKenzie Hughes, informed the judge of his decision. He agreed to plead guilty to half of the charges he faced – including four counts of sexual assault, two counts of sexual interference and one count of sexual exploitation. He pleaded guilty to at least one count for each of the six victims he was accused of abusing.

Seven other charges were dropped.

Escott pleaded guilty to offenses between 1995 and 2021.

His co-defendant, Tony Humby, 63, has pleaded not guilty and plans to go to trial in March. Escott took a different path, first pleading guilty to a single charge in July as a substitute while the Crown and defense reached a larger plea deal.

The two men were neighbors at the Ann Jeannette RV Park on the east end of St. John’s.

While sentencing in his case was originally scheduled for Friday, Escott’s attorney managed to push it to a later date. He will return to court Friday afternoon, where the facts of the case will be read into the record and the judge will hear at least three victim impact statements.

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