Defrocked Arctic priest convicted of sex offences against children to appeal

IQALUIT, Nunavut – A defrocked Arctic priest in prison for dozens of sex offences against Inuit children is appealing.

The news came out in a Nunavut court in Iqaluit on Thursday, Oct. 22, as Eric Dejaeger was sentenced for more child sex assaults in Alberta.

The former Oblate was given five-year sentences for acts committed against three children between the ages of six and nine in Edmonton and Grande Cache in the 1970s.

One of the victims, then a nine-year-old altar boy, was assaulted over four years. The other two were a brother and sister, eight and six, who were assaulted over a three-year period.

It wasn't immediately clear whether Dejaeger intends to seek a review of the verdicts or challenge the sentence for the 32 previous convictions involving northern children.

The victims in those cases included 12 boys, 10 girls and one dog.

Dejaeger, 69, is representing himself and is next to appear in court Nov. 10. That hearing has been scheduled to determine if Dejaeger has found a lawyer.

He was already serving 19 years in Nunavut's Baffin Correctional Centre before Thursday's sentencing.