Man 'glad' world now knows he's innocent of crime Paul Bernardo confessed to

TORONTO - A man wrongfully convicted of an assault that prosecutors say Paul Bernardo committed was officially exonerated Wednesday and said he's just "glad" the world now knows he's innocent.

Anthony Hanemaayer, a 40-year-old roofer from London, Ont., pleaded guilty part way through his 1989 trial for the knifepoint assault on a 15-year-old Toronto girl.

In an affidavit filed with the court, Hanemaayer said he opted to plead guilty because he was "scared" and felt he would almost certainly be convicted. He opted for two years in jail rather than facing a much longer sentence.

But in a jailhouse interview with police two years ago, Bernardo confessed to the crime. Ontario's highest court officially cleared Hanemaayer on Wednesday.

Outside the Ontario Court of Appeal, a clearly relieved Hanemaayer said it was hard to put into words the "painful" ordeal he was put through by the justice system.

"I'm just glad everybody realizes, and in everybody's eyes, that it wasn't me," he said.

"That's pretty much the happiest thing right now."

Court heard that the victim's mother still believes Hanemaayer is guilty of the crime. It was the mother's eyewitness identification that formed the entire case against him.

"It was very convincing, she almost had me believing it, but, you know, it wasn't me," Hanemaayer said of the mother's testimony.

"I do feel sorry for (her)."

In court filings, the Crown said the "fresh evidence points to only one conclusion, Paul Bernardo committed this attack."

In 2006, Bernardo approached police, through his lawyer, with a list of unsolved crimes he wanted to discuss - including the attack for which Hanemaayer had been convicted.

Upon learning of the Bernardo confession earlier this year, lawyers for the Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted took up his case. They complain Hanemaayer's case should have been reopened immediately after Bernardo's admission.

Hanemaayer's lawyer James Lockyer said the province's attorney general must open a new investigation into Bernardo's known crimes and others that he may be responsible for.

"The Bernardo story is not over and Bernardo needs more investigation," Lockyer said.

"An investigation like that may reveal more Anthony Hanemaayers."

He also criticized the justice system for damaging Hanemaayer's life and said he deserves compensation for the time he spent in jail.

"What a piece of luck ... that Bernardo should decide - for God knows what reason - that he would finally confess," Lockyer said.

"Our system shouldn't have to depend on someone like him."