A former Catholic priest charged with eight counts of historic sexual assault in opposition to kids in Nunavut is anticipated to plead responsible to these expenses.
Eric Dejaeger’s judge-alone trial was scheduled to happen this week, however adjourned on Tuesday.
Scott Cowan, Dejaeger’s lawyer, informed the courtroom he and Crown lawyer Emma Baasch agreed the responsible pleas could be entered on Thursday morning.
Dialogue about these pleas occurred earlier than anybody testified in courtroom, which means there are few public particulars concerning the expenses in opposition to Dejaeger. A publication ban protects the names of the youngsters he is accused of sexually assaulting.
Courtroom paperwork present the expenses stem from what’s alleged to have occurred whereas Dejaeger, now 77, was working as a priest in Igloolik between 1978 and 1982. The investigations occurred between 2011 and 2015.
Dejaeger was beforehand sentenced to 19 years in jail in 2015 after a courtroom discovered him guilty of 32 counts of child sexual abuse throughout his time as a priest in Igloolik. He was launched on parole in Might 2022.
Dejaeger, who was born in Belgium, turned a Canadian citizen in 1977 and got here to Nunavut as an Oblate priest.
He is due again in courtroom on Thursday morning. Sufferer influence statements are additionally anticipated to be learn at the moment.
Help is offered for anybody who has been sexually assaulted. You may entry disaster traces and native assist providers by means of this Government of Canada website or the Ending Violence Association of Canada database. In case you’re in instant hazard or worry to your security or that of others round you, please name 911.
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