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Crown makes 3rd application in Eric Dejaeger case

CBC News
March 19, 2014

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/crown-makes-3rd-application-in-eric-dejaeger-case-1.2579129

Eric Dejaeger is escorted outside the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit in November 2013. (Vincent Desrosiers/CBC)

Justice Robert Kilpatrick has denied Crown prosecutor Doug Curliss' application from Tuesday to revisit the testimony of one of the complainants in the trial of former Oblate priest Eric Dejaeger.

The 66-year-old is on trial at the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit.

He's facing dozens of charges alleging sexual abuse against children in Igloolik, Nunavut.

After a short break Wednesday morning, Crown prosecutor Barry Nordin made another application to the court, this time to consider the evidence of each complainant to support the evidence of the other complainants.

In total more than 40 people have testified, mostly about alleged sexual acts involving young girls, boys and even dogs.

Dejaeger has already pleaded guilty to eight counts but still faces more than 70 sex-related charges.

In court, Nordin said there are similarities in the evidence presented by the complainants. He pointed out the number of counts and the number of alleged victims. There are 21 male complainants and 20 female complainants.

Most were between the ages of four and 16 years old at the time the incidents are alleged to have occurred. Nineteen complainants allege they were touched inappropriately over their clothes, 21 allege they were touched by Dejaeger under their clothes and 11 say he attempted or succeeded at raping them.

Nordin said in all cases Dejaeger saw an opportunity to abuse a child.

Dejaeger's defence lawyer will respond to the Crown's application on Thursday morning before Justice Kilpatrick considers it.

 




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