Former archbishop sentenced to jail for molesting alter boy in Winnipeg

CANADA
Brandon Sun

By: The Canadian Press
Wednesday, Jul. 9, 2014

WINNIPEG – A former Orthodox priest is appealing his conviction for molesting an altar boy almost 30 years ago.

Seraphim Storheim was sentenced to eight months in jail Wednesday for sexually assaulting a boy who came to visit him in Winnipeg in 1985.

Storheim showed no emotion in court as Justice Christopher Mainella called his actions deplorable and a gross breach of trust.

The Crown had asked for a 12-month jail sentence, arguing Storheim abused a position of trust, but his lawyer argued for a conditional sentence with no jail time.

At the time of the offence, Storheim was a priest in the Orthodox Church in America but later rose to archbishop — the church’s highest-ranking cleric in Canada.

The 68-year-old was placed on leave when he was arrested in 2010 and retired following his conviction.

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