Toronto man and woman facing hundreds of charges in sexual assault investigation

A man and a woman are facing hundreds of charges linked to sexual and physical assaults against dozens of women, children and men spanning 17 years, Toronto police say.

Martin "Mark" Wettlaufer, 37, and Kathleen Wardlaw, 42, both of Toronto, have been charged with hundreds of offences linked to 41 victims, police say.

In a news release issued Monday, police said they began an investigation into a man and a woman in January of 2020.

Over the last 17 years, the pair "committed multiple sexual and physical assaults against men, women and children" in the Danforth Avenue and Dawes Road area as well as the Danforth Road and Eglinton Avenue East area, investigators say.

Police said many of the assaults "were recorded and uploaded to the internet." 

Investigators have provided few details about the case. Toronto police spokesperson Meaghan Gray would not say how the pair encountered their victims, saying in an email that the information would come out as the case moves through the courts.

Gray also said police are not disclosing any relationships between victims and the two accused in order to protect the identities of the victims.

Police say there are also a number of "unidentified victims," and investigators are now working to identify them.

Anyone who believes they are a victim linked to the case or who has information about the accused is being asked to call police at 416-808-7521.