Former priest convicted last year on 32 counts of child sexual abuse
Posted: Feb 04, 2015 5:00 AM CT Last Updated: Feb 04, 2015 5:00 AM CT
Eric Dejaeger leaves the Iqaluit courthouse in 2011. The former priest, who was convicted last year of 32 counts of child sexual abuse, is not expected to attend Wednesday’s sentencing. (Chris Windeyer/The Canadian Press)
A Nunavut judge will announce today how much time former priest Eric Dejaeger will get for sexually abusing children in Igloolik 30 years ago.
Eric Dejaeger was convicted last year on 32 counts of child sexual abuse dating back to his time as a priest in Igloolik between 1978 and 1982.
The Crown has asked for a sentence of 25 years in prison, while the defence suggested 12 years. Both lawyers suggested the accused be credited two days for every day spent in pre-trial custody.
Dejaeger has been in custody since January 2011 following his arrest on immigration charges in his home country of Belgium. It was discovered his citizenship there was no longer valid. Dejaeger was then returned to Canada to face charges that were laid in 1995.
Justice Robert Kilpatrick is scheduled to announce the sentence today at 1:30 p.m. ET. Dejaeger is not expected to attend the hearing.
CBC’s Peter Worden will be tweeting live from the courtroom in Iqaluit.
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