Former priest Grecco waives bail hearing

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Welland Tribune

21 October 2010

By Tribune Staff

BELLEVILLE — Former Roman Catholic priest Donald Grecco waived his bail hearing Thursday in Belleville court and will have an appearance on his breach charge next Wednesday, in Picton.

He remains in custody.

In March, the St. Catharines man pleaded guilty to three counts of gross indecency after he sexually abused three altar boys in Welland and Cayuga. The molestations happened in the 1970s and 1980s. 

Grecco’s sentencing for those crimes has been delayed twice because of his health issues. He is now scheduled to receive his fate next Friday at the John Sopinka Courthouse in Hamilton.  

One of Grecco’s victims — Michael Blum of Dunnville — is suing Grecco, former St. Catharines bishop James Wingle and the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Catharines for about $3 million on the grounds of abuse and negligence.

The civil lawsuit hasn’t been proven in court. Blum’s lawyers say it will take between two and five years before a settlement could be reached.

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