Church Had No Obligation to Tell Police about Sex Allegations: Judge

CTV
January 4, 2013

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/church-had-no-obligation-to-tell-police-about-sex-allegations-judge-1.1100663

Former Supreme Court justice Michel Bastarache is shown in this file photo. (Jacques Boissinot / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

A former Supreme Court justice says the Catholic church had no obligation notify police of sex abuse allegations against two more priests.

Michel Bastarache informed the Archdiocese of Moncton of the allegations.

They surfaced during a reconciliation and compensation process that Bastarache was conducting for alleged victims of sexual abuse involving another priest.

Two lawyers who have represented victims of abuse by clergyman say the diocese should have gone to the RCMP.

One of the lawyers, Robert Talach, says any other institution would have done so.

But the archdiocese countered that it's up to the alleged sex abuse victims to come forward.

Bastarache agrees, saying the Church can't report accusations to police when it doesn't have any details or know the identities of the alleged victims.

Bastarache says he can't give the church the names because he's bound by a confidentiality agreement, but he's urged the individuals to go to police.

The archdiocese quietly suspended the two priests last year