Hamilton Spectator
03 November 2010
Don Grecco’s legal woes continue to escalate.
A second victim who was sexually abused by the former priest during the 1980s plans to launch another civil suit against him.
James Hennessy, who was abused as an altar boy at St. Kevin’s Roman Catholic Church in Welland in 1984 and 1985, has launched a $3-million suit against Grecco and the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Catharines.
Hennessy, 41, currently lives in Rossett, England.
Word of the new suit comes just weeks after fellow Grecco victim, Mike Blum of Dunnville, filed a $3-million suit against Grecco, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Niagara and former bishop James Wingle.
St. Catharines lawyer Rob Talach, who represents Blum and plans to file the Hennessy suit within 10 days, said the suits would proceed separately.
Calls to Monsignor Wayne Kirkpatrick at the St. Catharines diocese were not returned Wednesday.
Grecco has pleaded guilty to three counts of gross indecency in connection with the assaults on Blum, Hennessy and a third victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban.
A sentencing hearing last week heard that Grecco’s circumstances have gone from bad to worse. He is recovering from colon cancer and suffers from chronic bowel disease. His bail was revoked Oct. 6 over a breach in his residency requirements and the ex-priest has been in custody in the Quinte Detention Centre ever since.
His marriage to a Picton real estate agent is also, according to his defence lawyer, on the rocks.
His lawyer, Brian Donnelly, said Grecco is broke.
The 70-year-old former priest is set to be sentenced Dec. 14 in Hamilton.
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Another Civil Suit Launched Against Grecco
CD98.9 (Norfolk, Ontario)
Posted by Ashley DeGroote
Another civil lawsuit has been launched against a former Cayuga Roman Catholic Priest convicted of assaulting teen aged boys. 70 year old Donald Grecco is already facing a $3 million suit from Michael Blum of Dunnville for pain and suffering, special damages and mental distress. Now 41 year old James Hennessy who now lives in England, has also filed a $3 million suit against Grecco. The former priest is expected to be sentenced next month in Hamilton after pleading guilty to three counts of gross indecency that date back to the 70s and 80s.