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	Pedophile Pastor Gets 7-year Term By Christina Toth Abbotsford-Mission Times April 16, 2010 http://www2.canada.com/abbotsfordtimes/news/story.html?id=90728b72-bdd9-4dcb-8186-7086c2125966 You led us to believe that you were worthy of our trust, that you were leading our son to believe in God and has faith in Jesus . . . you stole my child's youth, his education, his safety, his trust, his security . . . You have shattered our faith." A 42-year-old former Abbotsford-area youth pastor and skateboard shop owner was sentenced Monday to seven years in prison for sexually abusing eight children, some who were the children of friends. But because the man was in custody since April 25, 2009, and before new rules on time served were introduced, he is credited with two years, and will serve five years and one month. Last month, the man pleaded guilty in front of the victims' families to 11 counts of 22 charges of sexual assault or interference against the children, who were aged six to 16. The assaults took place from 1998 to 2008 and ranged from touching to sexual acts. With the exception of one adolescent girl, the rest of the victims were boys, including three brothers. "All were young persons with whom the accused occupied and abused a position of trust." "One victim was related to him, some were the children of trusted friends, and some looked to him to be their spiritual mentor. In each case, the accused had earned the trust of the parents . . . in each case, he betrayed that trust," Judge Ken Skilnick said in his judgment. While there is no ban on the name of the pastor, identifying him risks identifying the victims because of their close relationships, said Crown counsel Wendy Van Tongeren Harvey, who has dealt with sexual abuse cases for 30 years. The Abbotsford-Mission Times agrees, and will not reveal his name to protect the victims and their families. During the pretrial period, the man was diagnosed as a pedophile. The accused took the victims camping, vacationed with the families, administered to them as a youth pastor in local churches and operated a now-closed skateboard shop in the region. Some were children of friends he had known for up to 10 years. Incidents occured in Mission, Hatzic Lake, Hemlock Valley, Oliver and Merritt and other areas, said counsel. In her victim impact statement, one mother wrote: "You led us to believe that you were worthy of our trust, that you were leading our son to believe in God and have faith in Jesus . . . you stole my child's youth, his education, his safety, his trust, his security. You counseled them . . . to practice abstinence and then you sexually assaulted them. You have shattered our faith." Although not directly victimized, Skilnick counted the offender's wife and their three young children among the victims. In her statement, the wife painted a clear, eloquent picture of someone who manipulated others to "further his own selfish and immoral purposes." "No sentence passed by any court can undo the damage suffered by these victims and their families," said Skilnick. "Any sentence will be wholly inadequate to heal those caught in the wake of accused's crimes." Even though he has expressed remorse, Skilnick said he a had a difficult time believing the accused. The offender harmed the victims physically, emotionally and injured their spiritual growth "to further his own perverse gratification," perhaps irreparably, Skilnick noted. The judge commended the victims for stepping forward. "[They] are in fact courageous and exemplary young persons. By their actions of reporting these offences and of co-operating in their prosecution, despite the intense emotional pain that doing so has caused them, they have stopped a serial pedophile and have saved untold number of other young persons from being victimized . . . They are young persons that any family could feel proud of," Skilnick wrote. He also praised the police and the lawyers for their sensitivity to the victims. Contact: CToth@abbotsfordtimes.com
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