Toronto businesman alleged sex predator

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TORONTO, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- A Toronto businessman with a practice of hiring mentally and physically disabled people was arrested on sexual assault charges.

Police said Wednesday Patrick White, 64, owner of Fleastival Market, who hired disabled people at his booths and to sell chocolates, is charged with sexual exploitation of a mentally disturbed man in his late 30s, the Toronto Sun reported. He is to appear in court Thursday, the newspaper said.

"He has a history of this kind of behavior," Detective-Constable Norm Leung said without elaborating on any previous charges leveled against White.

But the Sun said White, who also is a self-proclaimed motivational speaker, was charged last October with sexually assaulting a teenage boy and was arrested again three weeks ago after allegedly being found with another teen.

Toronto Police Constable Anne-Marie Tupling told the Sun "he's well known to police both here in this province, in Saskatchewan, in New Brunswick and in the United States," dating back "about three decades."