Former Nunavut Priest Granted Bail on New Sexual Assault Charges
A former Catholic priest who previously served time for 32 sexual abuse convictions in Nunavut has been granted bail to a supervised facility in Ontario while awaiting trial on eight new historical sexual assault charges.
Eric Dejaeger, 76, faces the new charges for alleged incidents that occurred while he was working as a priest in Igloolik between 1978 and 1982, according to court documents. He was arrested in Kingston, Ontario, and taken into custody in Iqaluit in June last year.
Justice of the Peace Amanda Soper granted Dejaeger bail on the condition that he reside at Henry Traill Community Correctional Centre in Kingston, which is a community-based facility with 24-hour supervision. Dejaeger can leave the facility during the day, but has a curfew and is prohibited from going to Nunavut, except to attend court. He cannot visit public parks or swimming areas where there may be youth, and cannot make any attempts to get a passport or attend a Service Canada office.
If he goes to Nunavut for any court appearances, he will have to be in custody until the Correctional Service of Canada has made arrangements for him to travel back to the Henry Traill facility.
Dejaeger was sentenced to 19 years in prison in 2015 for crimes he committed between 1978 and 1982. Because of the time he spent in custody before his trial, he had 11 years left to serve after he was convicted. Dejaeger was released on parole in May last year to serve the rest of his sentence in the community.
A publication ban prevents reporting on why Soper decided to grant bail. Dejaeger’s next court date is June 10 to confirm his trial date.
