A “guilty” on one

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News from the Victoria, BC courthouse…

Father Philip Jacobs has been found guilty on one count of sexual touching.  That is the good news.  There were, I believe four charges,  – guilty on one. Only one.  That’s the bad news.

I was truly concerned that he was going to get off.  This was trial by judge, – I may be mistaken but honestly don’t think all the nonsense put forth by his high-priced defence lawyers would ever have floated by a jury.  But, a guilty on one.

The small courtroom was packed to the hilt – probably around 30 people, most of whom seemed to be there to support the victims and their families.  There were supporters of Father Jacobs there too, but I am told that  most appeared to be there for the victims.

The judge arrived late.  Father Jacobs, was dapper in a grey suit.  The tall priest fidgeted from time to time as the verdict was rendered, but on the whole listened intently as the judge pronounced her ruling.

The judge said she needed proof  ‘beyond a reasonable’ that Jacobs had committed the offences – she said she didn’t get beyond a reasonable doubt.  I don’t know why the Crown failed to make the case, but, such is often the fate of victims who, of course,  have no choice of Crown.

By the sound of it, lots of judicial credit was given to Jacobs for going for treatment in the States (Institute for Living) and his ability to restrain himself:- yes,  the judge bought the line that Jacobs therapy had taught him self-restraint.  My understanding is that trip for “treatment” transpired in or around 1974.  I will check on that to be sure.   There was reference to Jacobs’ abuse of his own cousin – I think fairly detailed, and,  – yes, this was believed by the judge.

When the judge finally came out with a guilty verdict on the one charge, a young man in the courtroom broke down completely.  I don’t think people understand the pressure these victims are under.

People milled around the courtroom for a spell afterwards, and then milled around outside.  The atmosphere has been described to me as that of “stunned silence.”

There was no date announced for sentencing.  My understanding is that sentencing is a few months downstream.

Meanwhile, Father Philip Jacobs – convicted molester – is footloose and fancy free.

I will keep an eye out for media coverage – will post as soon as I see it.

How sad that we must learn to rejoice when a few judicial crumbs fall under the table.  No matter – well done to those who came forward with their allegations.  Thanks to you we can now legally say that Father Jacobs was every bit as much a wolf in sheep’s clothing after his treatment as he was before.

 

Enough for now,

Sylvia

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3 Responses to A “guilty” on one

  1. Bobbie Bees says:

    Saying that it can be hard on the victims is an understatement.
    To have one’s life torn apart and destroyed even before they had a chance to get started is something that can never be repaired.
    To not even be able to get to the bottom of the matter and know the full truth is something that drives one mad.
    Sure, people tell me to “Get over it, the past is the past”.
    But it honestly doesn’t work that way.
    Never has, never will.
    What even makes things more maddening is when those who are in charge of administering justice don’t care.
    Lawyers only want money. Crown prosecutors don’t want to upset their chances of moving up the career ladder. Etc.
    It’s honestly so very sickening.
    And all I can do is to sit here and pound my head against the wall in an attempt to drive the memories from my mind.

    • Roddy A. Stegemann says:

      Bobbie: Do not try to pound the memories from your mind. Let them be and build your life around, beside, under and over them. The past is behind you, and the future is yours to be whatever you want.

      Simone de Beauvoir once wrote in her novel Les mandarins, “Il faut intégrer le mal”. In translation they mean that you must learn to integrate the bad with the good. These words appear to be well-suited in your case.

      The person who finally quits smoking is the person, who replaces the “No” to cigarettes with a “Yes” to something else — not food for this will make him fat, and not alcohol for this is simply another addiction. Maybe sports, or painting, or simply calling a non-smoking friend.

      When the memory of Philip Jacobs comes to mind replace it with a different thought or action and keep doing it until you are no longer disturbed by the memory. The memory will likely never go away, but so what? So long as when it returns it is viewed in proper perspective — a part of your past from which you have learned and grown.

      Someday you will be very proud not of having had the experience, but having overcome it.

  2. JG says:

    Mr. Stegemann,
    I am not sure that “Simone de Beauvoir” is a good reference considering what Bobbie went through, not at the hands of “this” predator, from what I remember of Bobbie’s previous entries. About Simone de Beauvoir:

    “A former student, Bianca Lamblin (originally Bianca Bienenfeld), in her book, Mémoires d’une jeune fille rangée, wrote that, while she was a student, she had been sexually exploited by her teacher Simone de Beauvoir, who was in her thirties at the time.[16] In 1943, Beauvoir was suspended from her teaching job, due to an accusation that she had, in 1939, seduced her 17-year-old lycee pupil Nathalie Sorokine.[17] Sorokine’s parents laid formal charges against Beauvoir for abducting a minor and as a result she had her licence to teach in France permanently revoked.[18]”
    I hope you were not trying to be funny or just remembered 5 “nebulous” words from this writer…

    jg

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