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	Police receive stream of tips about priest in sex case By Katie DeRosa Times Colonist August 10 2010 http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Police+receive+stream+tips+about+priest+case/3380189/story.html Police receive stream of tips about priest in sex case Saanich police have received numerous phone calls and visits from people with information about a former Saanich priest charged with sex offences. On Friday, Saanich police announced that Father Philip Jacobs was charged with sexual assault, sexual interference and sexual exploitation in relation to complaints by three witnesses under the age of 14. The alleged offences occurred between Sept. 1, 1996, and June 20, 2001, while Jacobs was a priest in the Catholic Diocese of Victoria. Saanich police appealed to anyone with information about Jacobs to contact them and, since Friday, several people have come forward, police spokesman Sgt. Dean Jantzen said. He would not say what information they provided or whether more alleged victims have been identified. "[The tips] are in the hands of the investigators ... and they're being acted on." Jacobs arrived on Vancouver Island from the U.S. in 1996, spending two years as a priest at St. Rose of Lima in Sooke. He then served as parish priest at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Saanich from 1998 to 2002. Jacobs was hired as a priest even though the diocese was aware of allegations of misconduct while he served as a priest in Columbus, Ohio. Bishop Richard Gagnon said last week that the diocese now has a tighter screening policy and Jacobs would not have been hired under the new standards. Raymond Roussin, Victoria's bishop from 1999 to 2004, said Jacobs was ruled out as a risk by experts, citing two psychiatric assessments. He said one was conducted after his dismissal in Ohio and a second one by the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development. However, a spokeswoman from the ministry said they have no record of Jacobs being assessed.Jacobs is still a priest, holding a "non-church occupation" in Europe. He was released on a $25,000 surety put up by friend Bruce Lemire Elmore, a Sooke resident, according to court documents. Under his bail conditions, the priest must report to a bail officer once a week and reside at a certain location. Jacobs is not to attend St. Joseph the Worker parish. He also cannot be in the presence of anyone younger than 18 and is not to attend any place frequented by children younger than 14. He had to surrender his passport and will not be allowed to leave Vancouver Island without permission. His next court date is Sept. 2. Contact: kderosa@tc.canwest.com
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