CANADA
The Westrn Star
Diane Crocker
Published on December 11, 2015
In a decision released Thursday, a two-panel board voted Tuesday to allow Smith, 77, to be released to a community-residential facility upon bed space availability for a period of six months.
Smith was sentenced by the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador in Corner Brook in March 2013 to nine years, 11 months and 10 days in prison for 38 charges — 23 counts of indecent assault against a male, seven counts of sexual assault and eight counts of assault with intent.
The offences happened when Smith was a parish priest in several western Newfoundland communities and during trips to the mainland between 1969 and 1989.
In its decision, the board spoke of the assaults as being intrusive in nature and said Smith breached his position of trust and authority as a member of the clergy. During many of the assaults Smith was under the influence of alcohol and provided alcohol to his underage victims, the board said. It said the assaults were planned and included using bribes, manipulation and threats to gain his victims’ compliance.
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