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  Abuse Trial Adjourned Till Sept.
An Accused Priest Admitted to "Touching Someone Inappropriately" While Serving in Windsor

By Hank Daniszewski
London Free Press [Canada]
June 26, 2003

A Catholic priest was transferred to regular duties at a Windsor parish just months after he was convicted of sexually abusing children in London in 1974. The evidence surfaced yesterday in a London court hearing a $7-million lawsuit brought by three brothers, John, Guy and Ed Swales, against Barry Glendinning and the Roman Catholic Diocese of London.

Paul LeDroit, lawyer for the Swales family, read from a transcript of responses from Glendinning given at a pre-trial hearing.

After he was convicted of gross indecency involving children, Glendinning spent three months at Southdown, a Christian recovery centre, before becoming assistant pastor of St. Claire of Assisi parish in Windsor.

Glendinning's three-year probation included an order his priestly duties "shall not include supervising or working with adolescents, it being the intent of this order that there be no more opportunity for repetition of this type of offence with young persons"

Despite the order, Glendinning said he worked with altar boys at the parish as part of his duties and visited schools. He said he "touched someone inappropriately" while working at the parish, triggering another visit to Southdown.

In the transcript, Glendinning also said he was "a bit insecure" in his sexuality growing up in Wallaceburg. Because he wasn't circumcised, he developed a "curiosity" about the genitalia of other males.

When he entered St. Peter's Seminary in London, Glendinning said he wasn't subjected to psychological screening or questioned about sexuality issues.

He said he did not have sexual relations with men or women until about 1969 when he became a "big brother" to John Swales.

Although he claimed to have no clear memory of his first sexual encounter with Swales, he admitted to a series of lurid sexual encounters with the Swales brothers and other children, which including massages, body painting and photography.

The trial has recessed for the summer and will resume in September.

Glendinning is expected to testify in person at that time.

 
 

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