Man at centre of W5 investigation accused of historical sexual assault of his then six-year-old cousin

CTV News

4 days ago

Warning: This story contains graphic details and allegations of sexual assault.
This article is part of an ongoing W5 investigation that has infiltrated a global online network of men who are secretly drugging, raping, filming and sharing the videos of their unsuspecting wives and intimate partners.
Bryan Hayward, the 36-year-old Hamilton, Ont. man accused of drugging, raping, filming and sharing content of his ex-girlfriend is also accused of sexually assaulting his then six-year-old cousin, 19 years ago.
Hayward was arrested on May 16 for allegedly sexually abusing his ex-girlfriend. Hamilton police apprehended Hayward after a W5 investigation revealed Hayward was posting videos of women who appear to be unconscious while Hayward potentially abused them.
Bryan Hayward
Hamilton police arrested Bryan Hayward on May 16. (Undated photo)
After his arrest, numerous women have come forward to Hamilton police over concerns they may have been assaulted by Hayward. Hamilton police will not confirm the number of women who have come forward, writing in a statement to W5 that '...to protect the integrity of the investigation we will not be releasing the number.'
This latest accusation that Hayward assaulted his cousin stems from an alleged incident that occurred almost 20 years ago.
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In an exclusive interview with W5's Avery Haines, Hayward's younger cousin who is now 25 and, who we are calling Taylor in order to protect her identity, detailed the alleged abuse she says she suffered when Hayward first allegedly assaulted her.
'You never prepare yourself in your own home. It was my birthday. And we would play hide and go seek. …Bryan would always say, 'hey, Taylor, come over here, come with me. Let's go hide underneath these covers.' And I would follow him and we would go hide underneath the covers and, um, and he would just start touching me…'
Following Hayward's arrest last month, Taylor contacted W5 in relation to her claims that Hayward assaulted her when she was a child.
Taylor first came forward that Hayward allegedly abused her when she was nine, three years after the alleged abuse first occurred.
Taylor says she first kept the alleged abuse to herself, fearing that no one would believe her. But then told her mother as they were planning her ninth birthday.
Taylor, Bryan Hayward's cousin, in silhouette
Bryan Hayward's cousin, Taylor, says he sexually assaulted her when she was 6-years-old and he was 17. (CTV W5)
'I just remember driving to Kumon with my mom and she's talking about my birthday party and how her cousins are gonna come and we're all gonna have fun and socialize, and I'll never forget. I told her, I said, 'you can't, like, please don't be mad, but I don't want Bryan there. This is what has been happening to me.' And next thing you know, I'm in court trying to tell my story.'
Hayward would be charged for allegedly abusing Taylor. The case advanced to trial but was eventually dismissed. Taylor had to testify during the trial but upon the court not allowing her mom or dad to be present during the examination, Taylor says Hayward's defence attorney broke her down.
'I brought my two favorite stuffed animals there with me…my parents weren't allowed in the court. So it was just myself and my stuffed animals,' Taylor said. 'Nothing came out of it because I couldn't, because I broke down on the stand. I couldn't get my full story out there and it really bothered me.'
Bryan Hayward in 2006
Bryan Hayward, now 36, is charged with drugging and raping an ex-girlfriend. His cousin accuses him of sexually assaulting her 19 years ago when she was 6 and he was 17. (Supplied photo)
Taylor's father, who we are calling Mark, lauds his daughter for having the strength to come forward at such a young age, but says the justice system failed his family.
'We're standing outside the room and I heard her break down and it was horrible. It was like someone stuck a knife in my gut,' he said.
Mark wants to see Hayward locked up indefinitely. 'That monster needs to stay behind bars for the rest of his life, because he's going to continue to do this,' he said.
Taylor's father, Mark, in silhouette
Taylor's dad, Mark says Bryan Hayward should be behind bars for life. (CTV W5)
Hayward is currently behind bars in Hamilton Wentworth Detention Centre, awaiting a bail hearing scheduled for June 13.
In response to inquiries about numerous past allegations and cases surrounding Hayward, Hamilton police have stated to W5 that '...we will be reviewing all cases involving Brian Hayward and continue to work with victims to support them when, and if, they are ready to report.'
Taylor says she'll now be looking for Hamilton police to reopen the historical case of alleged sexual assault against her.
'I want to get justice and I'm going to be reaching out to them to reopen my case and this time I'm not going to break down,' she said, 'because it makes me so angry seeing or knowing that he walked away, hurt so many others along the way.'
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