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  More Alleged Victims of Priest Emerge

By Dave Battagello
Windsor Star
November 11, 2011

http://www.windsorstar.com/news/More+alleged+victims+priest+emerge/5700360/story.html

At least four more alleged victims have stepped forward in recent weeks to file criminal complaints against a former Windsor priest said in court to have sexually abused at least a dozen early-adolescent girls in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Rev. Gabriele Del Bianco was originally charged in June by Lambton County OPP with three criminal charges of sexual assault based on one complainant - one of at least a dozen women who sued Del Bianco for sexual abuse occurring when they were young girls.

Now four more of the women have stepped forward and filed criminal complaints with police, according to London lawyer Rod Dale, who has represented nine of the alleged victims who have sued Del Bianco.

The complaints have led to at least 16 more criminal charges being filed against Del Bianco. His next court appearance is scheduled Dec. 8 in Sarnia for a pre-trial hearing and to face the new charges.

One of the new complainants is said to be a Windsor woman who was a teen when she gave birth to a child, now 19, who was fathered by Del Bianco.

Del Bianco is alleged by the women in statements of claim filed in court to have used church rectories in Windsor, Lakeshore and Wallaceburg to have sex with at least a dozen early-adolescent girls.

The alleged victims say Del Bianco sought out girls facing troubles at home or school, giving them small gifts as a token of his friendship, like a stuffed animal or a cheap necklace to win their trust.

He was also said to have frequently taken kids on visits to Wonderland amusement park, quick trips to local fast food joints and overnight stays at cottages in Grand Bend where some of the alleged abuse occurred.

Del Bianco continued to pursue some of his victims after they had reached adulthood and even presided over the weddings of several.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

Del Bianco served in Windsor as associate pastor at St. John Vianney church and part-time chaplain at Brennan high school from 1985 to 1987, according to the diocese.

He was administrator at St. Rose of Lima in 1987 and 1988, then became associate pastor at St. Gregory in St. Clair Beach and part-time chaplain at St. Anne high school from 1988 to 1990.

He was pastor at the former Sacred Heart church in Windsor from 1990 until 1994.

Del Bianco was removed from the parish for evaluation after the diocese says it learned of his behaviour.

He left the priesthood two years later and has since operated his own counselling service in Auburn, Ont.

 
 

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