The National Post
Postmedia News Nov 11, 2011 – 3:55 PM ET | Last Updated: Nov 11, 2011 4:02 PM ET
By Louise Dickson
VICTORIA — After a two-day preliminary inquiry, a Roman Catholic priest from the U.S. who spent six years working in Sooke and Saanich in British Columbia has been committed to stand trial on four charges involving sexual offences against children.
Father Phil Jacobs was arrested by the Canada Border Services Agency and charged in August 2010 with one count of sexual assault, two counts of sexual interference and one count of sexual exploitation against three Greater Victoria children under the age of 14.
The alleged offences occurred between 1996 and 2002, when Jacobs was a priest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Victoria.
The identities of the alleged victims are protected by court order.
Police have not released their ages or sexes other than to say they were all younger than 14 at the time of the alleged offences.
Jacobs, who was released on a $25,000 surety, is to have a trial date set on Nov. 30 in B.C. Supreme Court.
Evidence at the preliminary inquiry, which took place in Victoria provincial court, is under a publication ban.
During the proceedings, Jacobs was represented by Victoria lawyers Chris Considine and David Lyon.
Jacobs served as parish priest at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Saanich from 1998 to 2002.
Before that, he spent two years serving the St. Rose of Lima congregation in Sooke.
Jacobs resigned from his position at St. Joseph in April 2002 after information was made public that he had been dismissed from a church in Columbus, Ohio, in the mid-1990s amid allegations of misconduct.
Saanich police began investigating Jacobs in 2002, but there was insufficient evidence at that time to proceed with a charge.
However, in 2009, while Jacobs was living abroad, Saanich police received complaints that led to an investigation into his conduct as a priest at St. Joseph’s.
The investigation resulted in charges being approved on July 9, 2010, and the Canada-wide warrant that led to Jacobs’s arrest.
Postmedia News
here’s a local link/article to add to the collection:
http://www.sookenewsmirror.com/news/133910043.html
Thanks Jacqueline. I’ll get that posted when I get back from Winnipeg.
just a quick note to u all that i will be attending the Philip Jacobs trial in Supreme Court tomorrow at 2 pm. Will post what i can.
That is welcome news Jacqueline. We look forward to whatever news you can pass along.
just found out the hearing today is only to set a trial date in Supreme Court – not really worth my effort to attend – I thought it was the first day of the actual trial so won’t be attending until the real trial starts.
Understood Jacqueline. It probably will be over in well less than an hour. The only wrinkle might be if he has decided to plead guilty, but, no hint of that yet, and, if he does go that route he will probably wait till day one of the trial!
If you hear anything at all on the news out there please bring us up to date.
phoned the Victoria Court Registry & they told me that there is yet another Court date Dec. 14/11 @ 2pm – to set a trial date for Supreme Court trial in Chambers. Hopefully after this we will actually get a DATE for this trial in Supreme Court. Again once I find out WHEN it is will definately post. I also understand that there r other victims coming forward so don’t know if these new victims will be included in this trial or if there will be another trial with them testifying. Sylvia maybe if U know could U advise whether the new victims will be in this upcoming trial or not (I think that the Crown & Defence will be given more time before this trial to include the newest victims but I could be wrong).
Thanks for that info Jacqueline. I hadn’t heard that there were new victims coming forward. Whether or not charges from new complainants will be merged with those already heading toward trial will be up to defence and the Crown. He was initially charged August 2011. If things drag on with a merge his Charter right to a speedy trial could start to come into play and be used by his lawyer to get him off – UNLESS he agrees to merge the charges and in the process waive his Charter rights.
If you hear any more please keep us posted.
Hi Sylvia, haven’t been here for awhile as U can tell. I had to wait to find out when the Supreme Court trial of Phil Jacobs as they hadn’t set a date until just awhile ago (so far as I know). The trial is set for October 9, 2012 at 10 am. Also I have searched for updates on him & very difficult to get any info I imagine because of the Ban on Publication. I may contact his lawyer but probably won’t be able to get anything out of him. I will keep searching & update U if I find anything out. In case I didn’t tell U I live in the same town as he is residing currently with his surety, Sooke, BC. I have also been working on the BC Court Crisis (accused is entitled to a trial within a reasonable period of time & people getting off various crimes such as DUI’s, assault, domestic abuse & most importantly child offenders) & written letters & emails to Government officials i.e. Critic for Attorney General, Leonard Krog, MLA, Nanaimo, BC, NDP, & Rob Nicholson, MP in Ottawa. In Krog’s reply to me dated May 4, 2011 he says this issue has been raised in Question Period. I can post the letters & responses I have received if u like.
may have given U the wrong email address for me so sending this post to confirm the correct one above.
Hi Sylvia – I have some related info for an upcoming lecture this coming Friday February 24, 2012 & Saturday February 25, 2012. I will post it here. You need to register by email or phone.
**Can’t seem to format it – will post ASAP when I figure out how
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3201773133953&set=a.1138369950163.2021699.1554831430&type=1&theater
here is my photo on Facebook – I hope it works