Opp Anxious for Priests Return, by Trevor Wilhelm, Windsor Star, August 26, 2011

Opp Anxious for Priest's Return

By Trevor Wilhelm
Windsor Star
August 26, 2011

http://www.windsorstar.com/news/anxious+priest+return/5310053/story.html

Rev. Godwin Scerri has been convicted of abusing boys in Malta and is still wanted here for alleged sex abuse in Emeryville and on Pelee Island.

Provincial police say they are anxious to extradite a pedophile priest who avoided prosecution here two decades ago when he fled to Malta, where he later abused several more boys.

Rev. Godwin Scerri has been convicted of abusing boys in Malta and is still wanted here for alleged sex abuse in Emeryville and on Pelee Island.

"It's still an open case here and we are very anxious to get Godwin Scerri in our custody to answer to these charges," said OPP Sgt. Dave Rektor.

Scerri was sentenced to five years in jail in Malta earlier this month after being convicted of abusing an undisclosed number of boys at an orphanage. His lawyer plans to appeal the conviction.

Scerri was also cleared of a rape charge on a technicality. The crime allegedly took place in a different location than the one listed on the charge sheet.

A Canada-wide warrant for him remains valid. The OPP charged Scerri in June 1993 with sexual assault and gross indecency after a 22-year-old man came forward.

Scerri was born in Malta but worked as a Catholic priest in Ontario from 1981 to 1991. He served from 1981 to 1987 as an associate pastor of St. William's Church in Emeryville, and from 1987 to 1991 as the pastor.

The local victim told police Scerri abused him between 1983 and 1987, starting when he was 12 years old. It happened on Pelee Island and in Emeryville.

But before the case went to trial, Scerri fled to Malta where he was named spiritual director of a girls' secondary school.

Then in October 2003, Scerri and two other members of the Missionary Society of St. Paul were charged with abusing and raping children at the St. Joseph Home, an orphanage in Santa Venera. The court case went on for eight years.

Now that it's over, police in Ontario want him back. OPP resurrected their investigation last year. Rektor said a detective inspector and two detective constables from the criminal investigations branch are assigned to it.

"He eluded police, went to Malta when the charges surfaced," said Rektor. "We are now in the process of trying to get him back here to answer to the allegations here; the serious allegations here."

He wasn't sure if Scerri would face additional charges for running from the law.

"I'm not certain what the evidence would reveal," said Rektor.

"They look at the whole package and decide what appropriate charges would be issued. But certainly, there is a vested interest in bringing this man back to Canada."

He also wasn't sure if prosecutors here would wait until Scerri serves his five years in Malta, or try to get him shipped here earlier.

"The Crown attorney is presently reviewing the case and exploring the options of extradition," said Rektor.

"I'm not sure exactly what arrangements would be made." twilhelm@windsorstar.com or 519-255-6850