CHARLOTTETOWN (CANADA)
Saltwire Network [Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada]
February 20, 2025
By Terrence McEachern
A former Catholic priest in P.E.I. sentenced to five years in federal prison in 2023 for historic sexual exploitation offences involving a teenage boy has been granted day parole.
The Parole Board of Canada made the decision regarding the offender, Maurice Joseph Praught, on Feb. 6 to grant day parole for six months. The parole board denied full parole.
Sentence
Praught was 70 years old on Dec. 5, 2023, when he was sentenced in P.E.I. Supreme Court to the five-year prison term and placed on the Sexual Offender Information Registry for 10 years. Praught pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual interference. The sentence was a joint recommendation from Crown attorney Chris White and defence lawyer Gary Demeulenaere and accepted by Justice Gregory Cann.
The sentence was comprised of five years in prison concurrent for each offence. A publication ban is in place preventing the release of information that could identify the male victim. The sexual abuse involved sexual touching, oral sex and intercourse while Praught was in a position of trust over the victim. The sexual abuse occurred at the family home, at Praught’s residence in Mount Stewart and at hotel rooms while travelling.
The facts
According to the facts previously read in court, Praught became an ordained priest in P.E.I. in 1993 and began his career at St. Paul’s Parish in Summerside. Praught met the victim, who was under the age of 16 at the time, and his family that summer through the church. Praught spent unsupervised time with the victim going to restaurants, to the movies and on drives. Praught also gave modest gifts to the victim’s family.Article content
In 1994, Praught was transferred from Summerside to St. Cuthbert’s church near Mount Stewart. Praught still visited the victim and his family in Summerside and would stay overnight at their residence. Praught also took the victim on off-Island trips to Toronto and twice to Walt Disney World in Florida. The victim was given alcohol by Praught prior to the sexual abuse. This led the victim to binge drink at a young age and develop an alcohol and substance abuse addiction.
The sexual activity with Praught continued after the victim turned 18 years old and until 2009 or 2010. Praught admitted in a 2010 email to a friend that he had molested the victim. The victim had access to Praught’s email account and saved a copy of that email, which was later provided to police. After 2010, their relationship was limited to Praught occasionally giving the victim money for bills, living expenses and purchased items for him. Praught also provided the victim with a used car. Praught made a final $5,000 payment to the victim in January 2021.Article content
In June 2021, the victim told a former school teacher about the sexual abuse. The victim didn’t want the matter pursued out of concern with the publicity it could receive. However, on March 30, 2022, the former teacher reported the matter to the Diocese of Charlottetown. After an investigation, the matter was reported to police in May 2022. Praught retired that month from the church due to health issues. On Oct. 31, 2022, Praught was arrested at his residence in Stratford, P.E.I. He did not have a prior criminal record. Praught also worked at the St. Pius X church in Charlottetown.
Low risk to reoffend
The parole board considered in its decision a professional assessment in December 2024 that indicated that Praught’s risk of sexual recidivism is “below average” compared with other incarcerated sex offenders. Other factors also indicated that Praught is a low risk to reoffend.
The parole board also mentions information in Praught’s file in its decision. One piece of information is that Praught experienced a good upbringing and didn’t witness or experience abuse of any kind. Praught also never experimented with drugs and only used alcohol in a social manner, except consuming alcohol at times with the victim.Article content
Other information referenced in the file related to the sexual offences indicated that Praught found ways to gain access to the victim by being “predatory and opportunistic.” Praught used his relationship with the victim to “satisfy (his) own sexual needs and to help (him) cope with loneliness.”
The parole board noted that early in Praught’s sentence, he minimized the severity of his offending behaviour and portrayed himself as a victim. However, it was also noted that Praught came to terms with the fact that he was solely responsible for the offences. In a January letter to the parole board, Praught took full responsibility for his actions.
Risk assessment
Praught was not considered (or eligible) to require core programming while in custody. This was explained in part due to Praught undergoing four counselling sessions prior to sentencing. At Praught’s parole hearing, his institutional parole officer further explained that the offences were dated and it was believed that progress had been made during one-on-one interactions with the parole officer. Even so, Praught had been risk-assessed as having deviant sexual behaviour, cognitive distortions and problematic sexual interest.Article content
Not addressing those risk factors through programming while in custody was a reason for full parole being denied. The parole board explained that Praught requires “a period of time in the community on day parole to demonstrate stability and the ability to manage risk and/or emotions with the supports offered by a CBRF (community-based residential facility).”
Day parole
While on day parole, Praught is required to follow several special conditions. One of those conditions addresses Praught’s lack of programming in custody to deal with his risk factors, namely, that he must follow a treatment plan and programming for sexual deviancy and mental health. Praught is also required to reside at a community-based residential facility (or halfway house), have no contact with the victim and not be in the presence of any male children under the age of 18 unless accompanied by a responsible adult who knows his criminal history and is approved in writing by a parole supervisor.
Terrence McEachern is a justice reporter for The Guardian in Prince Edward Island. He can be reached at tmceachern@postmedia.com.