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	Ex-Wife Saw Former Minister 'Snapping the Pants' of Girl Court: Testifies Incident 'Probably Was Not Appropriate' By Linda Richardson Sault Star September 16, 2009 http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1755017 The ex-wife of former Anglican minister Kenneth Gibbs testified Tuesday about an incident she recalled involving her husband and a young parishioner when they lived in Elliot Lake. Gwen Gibbs said she remembers walking into the TV room of the church rectory and seeing Gibbs "snapping the pants" of one of two girls who were in the room. The girl was standing in front of her husband, the Guelph resident said, indicating she both saw and heard the snapping of the pants. "I didn't do anything," she told defence lawyer Andre Berthelot during the second week of Gibbs trial on sex offences alleged to have occurred in Chapleau and Elliot Lake in the 1960s and 1970s. The third, and final, defence witness to take the stand said she didn't really think it was strange. "I didn't see what went before (that). I thought it was just a little snap, but I can't judge what went before. "It probably was not appropriate," conceded the woman, who separated from Gibbs in 1981. Gibbs, 76, of Belleville, has pleaded not guilty to six charges of indecent assault and guilty to three counts of the same offence. The allegations involve six complainants, who testified last week about incidents they said occurred at church, the rectory or in their homes. Gibbs served as minister of St. John's Anglican Church in Chapleau from 1966 to 1971. He was pastor at St. Peter the Apostle Church in Elliot Lake from 1971 to 1980. A publication ban prohibits reporting any evidence that might identify the complainants. One of the complainants told Superior Court Justice Edward Koke about a "secret, tickle game" Gibbs would play with her when her family visited the Elliot Lake rectory. The 40-year-old woman said she was about six or seven when Gibbs would have her sit on his lap, then put his hand in her pants and touch her vagina. When Gibbs testified Monday, he maintained he never played such a game. He indicated he recalled one incident involving the girl where "he snapped the waistband" of her clothes. During cross-examination by prosecutor Mike Kelly, he insisted he was "just making a little joke" and denied touching her inappropriately. When he testified, Gibbs also denied allegations made by four other women, but admitted to three incidents involving a fifth complainant. On Tuesday, the judge also heard from a Sudbury Anglican priest who grew up in Chapleau and attended St. John's when Gibbs was the minister there. Rev. Thomas Corston was a teenager and active in the Pine Street church, choir and youth activities. The defence witness said when Gibbs took over the church "it was a breath of fresh air." "He was always friendly and open," said Corston, who was ordained in 1975. "He was more jovial. He was different (than his "stern" predecessor)." Corston, who indicated he kept in touch with Gibbs over the years, said he was surprised when he heard a November 2005 news report that Gibbs had been charged. "I'm shocked. I never thought Ken Gibbs would be capable of something like that," he told the Crown during cross examination. "I've never seen anything like that in Ken Gibbs' ministry and his life . . . It shocks." Kelly wondered if there was a part of Gibbs that Corston didn't know about. "It's a possibility. I guess I haven't made that judgment," he replied.
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