A former Catholic priest accused of eight counts of historic sexual assault against children in Nunavut is expected to plead guilty to those charges.
Eric Dejaeger’s judge-only trial was scheduled for this week but was postponed Tuesday.
Scott Cowan, Dejaeger’s lawyer, told the court that he and Crown attorney Emma Baasch agreed that the guilty pleas would be entered Thursday morning.
The discussion over those statements came before anyone testified in court, meaning there are few public details about the charges against Dejaeger. A publication ban protects the names of children he has accused of sexual assault.
Court documents show The charges arise from what allegedly happened while Dejaeger, now 77, worked as a priest at Igloolik between 1978 and 1982. The investigations took place between 2011 and 2015.
Dejaeger was previously sentenced to 19 years in prison in 2015 after a court found him. guilty of 32 counts of child sexual abuse during his time as a priest at Igloolik. He was released on parole in May 2022.
Dejaegerwho was born in Belgium, became a Canadian citizen in 1977 and came to Nunavut as an Oblate priest.
He is due back in court Thursday morning. Victim impact statements are also expected to be read at that time.
Support is available for anyone who has been sexually assaulted. You can access local crisis lines and support services through this Government of Canada website or the Partnership to End Violence Canada Database. If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety or the safety of others around you, call 911.
