Concord Sexual Assault Case Leads To Incident From 27 Years Ago

CONCORD, NH — A Concord man, accused of recording girls without their knowledge at stores and at his home on Hoit Road in 2018, is now facing rape charges after being accused of assaulting a girl at a Hopkinton pond in 1993.

John Wilkinson, 60, of Hoit Road in Concord was arrested on June 16 on aggravated felonious sexual assault and felonious sexual assault charges, both felonies, and a misdemeanor sexual assault charge.

Concord police began investigating Wilkinson in July 2018 after allegations by girls, one who accused him of assault, led to a search of his home where "multiple incriminating videos and photos" were recovered from digital devices that he owned, according to court documents and reports. During the course of that investigation, detectives learned of another possible assault case from 1993. Detectives, according to a report, did not have much to go on with the second case — just a possible first name of the victim, an incident that occurred at a waterfront property, and information from someone who did not witness the incident first-hand. When Wilkinson was arrested on numerous charges 11 months after the investigation started, a second informant came forward with a first name and possible last name of the victim of the 1993 case.

About six months ago, the detective was able to find the victim and called her. During an interview, the woman, who is now 40, said she knew Wilkinson and saw the media reports about him.

"She confirmed that she had a similar experience with him when she was a teenager," the detective said.

After talking with the detective, the woman agreed to participate in a remote forensic interview with the Merrimack County Advocacy Center in May.

In the interview, the woman stated she was at a family gathering on Rolfe Pond in Contoocook in 1993 playing in the water with others. At the time, she said, the only adult in the water was Wilkinson, along with several other kids. Wilkinson, the affidavit said, was throwing kids in the water from a platform or raft and playing "swim chasing" with them. It was a typical activity, she said.

Later, Wilkinson was accused of grabbing her after she was thrown into the water. As she tried to swim away from him, she said, he grabbed a hold of her. The woman accused Wilkinson of pulling her towards the raft, sticking his hand into her bathing suit, and sexually assaulting her. The woman became "really scared" because he "was holding her from behind and not letting her get away." She started screaming, "Let me go," the affidavit said, and kicked away from Wilkinson.

She was 13 at the time, according to the affidavit.

The woman spoke to her mother about the incident and a confrontation occurred between Wilkinson and the mother — who told him to leave. Wilkinson and others left the compound and never returned. The woman said she never saw him again either until she saw his mugshot after he was arrested last year. The woman said there were others at the pond who would probably recall the incident.

The detective also spoke to the woman's mother who confirmed what her daughter claimed, that she was upset after the incident, and there was a confrontation, the affidavit stated. She said there were dozens of people at the pond that day. Wilkinson was a friend of the family. The mother threatened to have him arrested and he and others left. Later, she claimed, a person close to Wilkinson requested she not press charges due to the damage it could cause to his family — a request she granted. The mother never saw Wilkinson again until she saw the story of his arrest, she said.

The detective spoke to "multiple family members" of the victim who were present at the camp the day of the incident and they all recalled the confrontation between the mother and Wilkinson although none of them actually witnessed the assault, an affidavit stated.

About three weeks ago, the detective spoke to another witness, a man who was a mutual friend of all involved. He was also present at the pond and accused Wilkinson of telling him that he "grabbed" the girl as she was going up the ladder onto the raft. The man told Wilkinson he was "disgusting." He described Wilkinson as being "excited" about the incident but did not believe he actually did what he said, the witness stated.

"Years later," the detective wrote, "(the witness) learned from other family members that (the victim) reported she had been touched by Wilkinson at which point (he) realized that Wilkinson told him the truth that day."

A warrant was issued for Wilkinson's arrest on June 12 and he was charged four days later.

The investigation, the detective noted, continues and additional charges against Wilkinson are possible.

Editor's note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Concord Police Department and does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the removal request process for New Hampshire Patch police reports.

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