Former Priest Found Guilty on 3 of 18 Sex-related Charges Involving Teen Girls

Brandon Sun
February 24, 2014

http://www.brandonsun.com/lifestyles/breaking-news/former-priest-found-guilty-on-3-of-18-sex-related-charges-involving-teen-girls-246943511.html?thx=y

A Sarnia, Ont., judge has acquitted a former Catholic priest of all but three of 18 sex-related charges he faced.

Justice Joseph Donohue found Gabriele DelBianco, 57, guilty of one count of gross indecency and two counts of sexual assault.

He found DelBianco not guilty of various other charges — including threatening death or bodily harm — arising from incidents involving four teenage girls during the 1980s.

Donohue says the historical nature of the case made it difficult and he cited reliability of evidence as reasoning for acquitting DelBianco on several charges.

DelBianco left the priesthood in 1996 after serving at churches in Ontario communities including Wallaceburg and Windsor.

DelBianco is out of custody awaiting a sentencing hearing May 14.