A man was sexually assaulted over 50 times in the early 1970s by a priest. At the time he was a student at St Charles college, a high school run by the Basilian Fathers of Toronto. As a result of the abuse, he failed grade 12 because he continuously skipped school to avoid the priest. He eventually completed high school and attended university. He then joined the military but then left as one of his commanding officers reminded him of the priest who sexually abused him. Over the years he worked as an entrepreneur, then a financial advisor, and later as a physiotherapist.
In 2010 the man heard a radio show about sexual abuse and reflected on his own experience. In 2012 he commenced legal proceedings. The man sued not only the priest but also the church and school board. The Basilian Fathers of Toronto were aware that the priest had been abusing boys before they had even ordained him as a priest. Furthermore, the priest taught for about 36 years and he was repeatedly moved to different schools when complaints of sexual assault arose.
In a separate criminal proceeding, the priest pleaded guilty to sexually abusing 17 minors. In 2018 the lawsuit went to trial and the church and school board were found vicariously liable for the sexual assault the man suffered as a boy.
The jury awarded the man, $350,000 in general damages, $75,000 in aggravated damages, $56,400 in future treatment costs, $500,000 in punitive damages and $1,588,781 in future and past loss of income. The priest, the Bassilian Fathers of Toronto, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, and the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie had to jointly pay the $2,570,181 awarded to the man.
If you have been sexually assaulted contact our personal injury lawyers at Equilibrium law.