Posted by I was shocked and dismayed by the accusations leveled against my friend from the past. Reading the online news brought back the memories to when I knew him.
I met and befriended Laurence Honickman (Laurie) when we both worked at Canada’s Wonderland in the summer of 1991, where I worked as a ride operator and himself in mechanizing. Surprisingly, we kept contact from such an experience and were friends through university, himself graduating with a Bachelor of Science at York University and me attending full time York University English Literature Program and then part time film at Ryerson University. After I wrote and directed several commercials, including a corporate video, it made sense for us to team up to produce a radio show, The Enterprise Toronto Radio show (2000-2001), all to attract more clients to produce more TV commercials.
That did not happen. After the show ended, we went our separate ways, him getting married to a lovely woman in 03 and I went on to write several books. I was stunned to see his name associated with such charges. I have a vague memory of Laurie and myself in ABC Books on Yonge, of myself buying Hemingway, Thomas Hardy, and Dickens. Laurie would, however, purchase a huge amount of pornographic magazines, being Playboy, Hustler, and Pent House, all weighing heavily on his shoulder muscles when he carried them.
We would laugh about the difference in each of our reading material. This happened more than several times and even became the subject of humor amongst friends. I never suspected that his harmless curiosity would become an outright obsession and possibly into a sickness. I never believed this would lead to him becoming accused of downloading, or making child pornography.
What people must realize that any average person can get addicted to free and easy access to porn. Internet engines should be given mega million dollar fines and jail sentences for supplying access to such service, including website hosters and providers. I would never condone such behaviour in public, or in private, but condemn it outright. I don’t remember Laurie Honickman being a monster. We should not be so quick to judge. Let the courts decide.
Paul Collins, author of Mack Dunstan’s Inferno / Mystery of Everyman’s Way
