Ottawa Citizen
Published on: January 19, 2017 | Last Updated: January 19, 2017 6:18 PM EST
Correction: Jacques Faucher allegedly visited the pool at the Centre aquatique Paul-Pelletier 96 times between Nov. 24, 2015 and Dec. 22, 2016. A previous version of this story, based on incorrect information provided to the Citizen, erroneously claimed Faucher allegedly visited the Ottawa Lowertown Community Centre and Pool.
A disgraced Ottawa priest convicted of molesting altar boys in the 1960s and 1970s has been re-arrested after he allegedly visited a Lowertown swimming pool frequented by children – a breach of his release conditions – nearly 100 times.
Gatineau police arrested Jacques Faucher, 80, on Monday, nine days before he was scheduled to be sentenced on historical sex crimes involving three children. Faucher was free on bail while awaiting sentencing.
Police allege he attended the kids section of the pool at the Centre aquatique Paul-Pelletier 96 times between Nov. 24, 2015 and Dec. 22, 2016, according to court documents. The documents claim he did not once visit the adult swimming pool in that one-year period. Neither the police, nor the court documents viewed by the Citizen detailed how authorities determined Faucher had visited the pool 96 times.
Ottawa police arrested the former priest in 2013 after five male complainants came forward with allegations he molested them when they were between the ages of nine and 13 at the former Notre-Dame-des-Anges parish near Tunney’s Pasture.
All the complainants, whose names are shielded by a publication ban, recounted similar stories of Faucher touching them while he sat them on his knee when he was alone with them in his office.
He was found guilty in March 2016 of six counts of indecent assault and gross indecency on evidence from three of the five boys who testified against him.
One of the conditions of his release from custody in 2013 was to not attend any public parks or swimming pools where children under the age of 16 are expected to be present. However, a variation in his bail application permitted him to visit the public pool, but only in the section for people 50 and older on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Faucher and his surety signed the document on March 1, 2013 and he was released on a $3,000 bond.
When he appeared at the Gatineau courthouse on Tuesday following a warrant for his arrest, a justice of the peace denied his bail and ordered that he remain in custody.
His lawyer on the breach charges, Pascal Cloutier, did not return the Citizen’s calls on Thursday.
Faucher is scheduled to return to the Gatineau courthouse on Feb. 13 for the breach charge, which will be dealt with separately from his molestation trial.
The 80-year-old former priest will learn his fate next Wednesday when Ontario Superior Court Justice Pierre Roger delivers his decision on sentencing at the Ottawa courthouse.
The Crown prosecutor in the molestation trial is asking the judge to sentence the former priest to 18 months in jail, followed by three years of probation. The defence is asking for a conditional sentence.
Last November, the Citizen reported the Archdiocese of Ottawa wrote a $50,000 cheque to one of the five complainants in 1998 when he was an adult after he reported to the church that Faucher allegedly molested him. Documents obtained by the paper show the man was asked to sign a confidentiality agreement before receiving the cheque.
I am in the process of writing a letter to Archbishop Prendergast regarding this sick creature who is STILL a Roman Catholic priest.
I will forward a copy of this letter to Sylvia when it is sent.
This type of situation cannot be tolerated by myself, and hopefully not by anyone else, including the Roman Catholic Church.
“Father” Faucher is the ultimate disgrace to the priesthood and the church. He should be defrocked immediately if not sooner, and given the help he so desperately needs. Mike.
Mike, I wrote a pointed letter to him some time ago. I am willing to send you a copy of it. Just ask Sylvia to give me your snail-mail address and I will do so. I do not handle a computer very well.
Mike, I wrote a pointed letter to him some time ago. I am willing to send you a copy of his. reply. Just ask Sylvia to give me your snail-mail address and I will do so. I do not handle a computer very well.
1AS – Welcome to the club! My answer to computer problems is a hammer and an attitude! I would welcome a copy of your letter, with many thanks. I just hope that a letter to the archbishop would do some real good, something that appears to be missing in our world.
Thank you for you input and caring! I care too, and maybe (just maybe) some good can come of this. We’ll be in touch. Mike.
Mike, I have given permission to Sylvia to give you my email address. I think our sharing different info we have in several matters could open up a few cans of worms that someone in authority in the Catholic Church will not be just push aside !!! I have more info on the Pembroke Diocese as well
Mike’s email address has just been sent 🙂
did n0t get it yet.
I sent your email to Mike.
Mike, did you get my email address from Sylvia?
I am quite sure that Father Faucher’s “security” is incredibly proud of him!!! What a fine upstanding example of Christian charity he is!!
I can’t begin to imagine the horrors, guilt, and shame this creature’s victims are living through – all at the hands of an ordained, and current Roman Catholic priest! Mike.
Humph! old habits die hard.. Clearly this priest has a serious problem…shouldn’t be difficult to believe the complainants..
Please note the following update by the Ottawa Citizen to the above article: