“Fourth alleged victim testifies in sexual assault trial of former priest Gabriele DelBianco” & related article

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The Chatham Daily News

Monday, October 21, 2013 8:37:49 EDT PM

By Neil Bowen, Sarnia Observer

Former priest’s fate in judge’s hands

Editor’s note: The following story contains some content that some readers may find offensive. Discretion is advised.

– – –

A woman in her 40s testified in the sexual assault trial of a former priest that she believed her teenage sexual encounters with him would lead to them becoming a couple.

The trial of former priest Gabriele DelBianco, 57, on 16 sexual offences involving four teenage girls during the 1980s heard testimony from the fourth woman Monday in Sarnia Superior court.

He has pleaded not guilty.

DelBianco led her to believe they would be a couple, testified the woman, after describing how she performed oral sex on the priest in a church.

In a very soothing voice DelBianco had asked the girl, who was in Grade 7 at the time, if she wanted to make him feel good, she said.

After the encounter he got her a cookie, she said.

Prior to that incident he had kissed her in a car at a park, when he offered to take her from school for lunch, she testified.

She never got lunch and was late returning to school but DelBianco spoke to her teacher, who was a nun, the woman told the court.

After these two incidents she described some vague recollections of two further sexual encounters but could provide no details on where or when they happened. She was unable to say what the second encounter involved.

Prior to undergoing therapy the woman said she had no conscious memory of any sexual abuse. The therapy occurred after she learned of a lawsuit against DelBianco and the Catholic church by other women.

That therapy was paid for by the Catholic church, she said.

Her memories continued to get clearer, she said, after her initial statement to the OPP in 2011 when she recalled details of one incident.

Prior to the therapy but after DelBianco had left the priesthood in 1996 the woman had asked him for an $18,000 loan for a meditation retreat.

He had told her he did not have the money, said the woman.

The woman’s cross-examination was set to continue Tuesday.

Earlier Monday another of the four women testified DelBianco had helped pay for a Florida trip with her family.

The woman rejected a suggestion by defence lawyer Andrew Bradie she had felt empowered to ask for money due to her relationship with DelBianco that had continued into adulthood.

Although he was a priest and should not have been involved with her she believed she would be ostracized if the relationship became public, she said.

During previous testimony in the trial that started Oct. 16, another woman said DelBianco seemed like a rock star when she was a teenager.

Some of the women had testified DelBianco made them feel special as teenagers because he chose to spend time with them alone.

Two of the women testified he had claimed to be involved with the CIA.

Before leaving the priesthood DelBianco served as a priest in Windsor and Wallaceburg.

neil.bowen@sunmedia.ca

 ________________________________

Fourth alleged victim testifies in sexual assault trial of former priest Gabriele DelBianco

The Sarnia Observer

21 October 2013

By Neil Bowen, Sarnia Observer

Editor’s note: The following story contains some content that some readers may find offensive. Discretion is advised.

– – –

A woman in her 40s testified in the sexual assault trial of a former priest that she believed her teenage sexual encounters with him would lead to them becoming a couple.

The trial of former priest Gabriele DelBianco, 57, on 16 sexual offences involving four teenage girls during the 1980s heard testimony from the fourth woman Monday in Sarnia Superior court.

He has pleaded not guilty.

DelBianco led her to believe they would be a couple, testified the woman, after describing how she performed oral sex on the priest in a church.

In a very soothing voice DelBianco had asked the girl, who was in Grade 7 at the time, if she wanted to make him feel good, she said.

After the encounter he got her a cookie, she said.

Prior to that incident he had kissed her in a car at a park, when he offered to take her from school for lunch, she testified.

She never got lunch and was late returning to school but DelBianco spoke to her teacher, who was a nun, the woman told the court.

After these two incidents she described some vague recollections of two further sexual encounters but could provide no details on where or when they happened. She was unable to say what the second encounter involved.

Prior to undergoing therapy the woman said she had no conscious memory of any sexual abuse. The therapy occurred after she learned of a lawsuit against DelBianco and the Catholic church by other women.

That therapy was paid for by the Catholic church, she said.

Her memories continued to get clearer, she said, after her initial statement to the OPP in 2011 when she recalled details of one incident.

Prior to the therapy but after DelBianco had left the priesthood in 1996 the woman had asked him for an $18,000 loan for a meditation retreat.

He had told her he did not have the money, said the woman.

The woman’s cross-examination was set to continue Tuesday.

Earlier Monday another of the four women testified DelBianco had helped pay for a Florida trip with her family.

The woman rejected a suggestion by defence lawyer Andrew Bradie she had felt empowered to ask for money due to her relationship with DelBianco that had continued into adulthood.

Although he was a priest and should not have been involved with her she believed she would be ostracized if the relationship became public, she said.

During previous testimony in the trial that started Oct. 16, another woman said DelBianco seemed like a rock star when she was a teenager.

Some of the women had testified DelBianco made them feel special as teenagers because he chose to spend time with them alone.

Two of the women testified he had claimed to be involved with the CIA.

Before leaving the priesthood DelBianco served as a priest in Windsor and Wallaceburg.

neil.bowen@sunmedia.ca

 

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