Catholic priest Eric Dejaeger leaves an Iqaluit, Nunavut courtroom Jan. 20, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Windeyer
March 18, 2014 - 9:36 AM
IQALUIT, Nunavut - A northern judge won't consider the previous convictions of a former priest accused of sexually abusing Inuit children.
Justice Robert Kilpatrick has ruled that he won't allow eight convictions against Eric Dejaeger to stand as evidence in his current trial on 68 counts of abusing dozens of Inuit children more than 30 years ago.
Crown lawyers had argued that Dejaeger raised the issue of his character during his testimony.
But Kilpatrick has ruled Dejaeger had been trapped into saying he wasn't a violent man.
He says Dejaeger has conceded that some of his actions were sexually violent and that it isn't necessary to bring his earlier convictions into evidence.
The trial in Iqaluit is expected to wrap up by Friday.
(APTN)
News from © The Canadian Press, 2014