The Windsor Star
12 January 2012
BY BEATRICE FANTONI
Linus Bastien, a former Catholic priest in Essex region faces 18 additional charges including sexual assault, OPP said in a statement on Thursday.
Seven victims have come forward and, as a result, Bastien was arrested and charged with counts of indecent assault, sexual assault and sexual interference.
The charges relate to events that allegedly occurred in the 1970s and 1980s when Bastien was assigned to St. Paul’s Catholic Church in LaSalle and St. Joachim Parish in Lakeshore.
The 85-year-old man was already charged last fall with counts of indecent assault and gross indecency after two former altar boys from St. Mary’s Parish in Maidstone made complaints to police.
Bastien is scheduled to appear in court on February 14 in Windsor. He has been released on a promise to appear in court.
© Copyright (c) The Windsor Star
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Priest Facces More Charges
AM 800 CKLW (Windsor)
12 January 2012
A Catholic priest accused of sexual assault is facing 18 additional charges. The OPP and LaSalle Police have laid 18 more charges against Father Linus Bastien of Chatham, dating back to 1970 to 1977 and 1988 to 1989 while he was serving at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in LaSalle and St. Joachim Parish in Lakeshore. Seven alleged victims have come forward. They were students at the former St. Paul’s School and St. Ambroise School, when the alleged offences occurred. The 85 year old priest was arrested on January 11th and is scheduled to appear in a Windsor Courtroom on February 14th, where he will answer to the 18 new charges.
Bastien is not a former priest – he is a priest. He may be retired, but he is still very much a Roman Catholic priest.
And well done for all those who finally summoned the courage to go to the police! Good for you!