Former priest will learn verdict on assault charges in September

Former priest Yvon Arsenault will learn Sept. 21 whether he's guilty of indecent assault and gross indecency for incidents that allegedly happened more than 40 years ago in Shediac.

As defence lawyer Allison Menardpresented her closing arguments,Arsenaultlistened attentively from the prisoner's box.

He is already serving a four-year sentence after headmittedto touching nine young boys in the 1970s.

But he has deniedthe current charges against him. The allegedvictim saidhe was 10 to 12 years old when the abuse occurred between 1970 and 1972.

In her closing arguments to the Court of Queen's Bench, Menardurged the judge to believeArsenault.

"His testimony was spontaneous, reasoned and reasonable hedidn't avoid difficult questions."

She argued thevictim, who was not in court Friday, hadinconsistencies in his timeline for when the abuse happened and how old he was.

She said the victim was10 to 12 years old from 1968 to 1970 but he testified theabuse happened between 1970 and 1972.

Sowed doubt

Menard also pointed to inconsistencies in small details, such as the name of the boys club where the alleged abuse happened.

"That sows doubt about the plaintiff's testimony," she said. "There are complete contradictions."

Menard said the victim is one of several people involved ina civil lawsuitagainst the church.

"Is his testimony reliable? That's the task of the court."

MenardsaidArsenault had no way of defending himself except to say he didn't do it.

"He can't prove 40 years later he was somewhere else during a certain moment."

Crown prosecutorSylvie Godin-Blanchard argued the victim wasreliable and credible and was 100 per cent sure it was Arsenault whocommitted the assaults on him.

"This is not an incident he would have made up."

Stayed silent

Godin-Blanchardsaid the victim has been affected by the alleged assaultshis whole life.

He was told by Arsenaultto keep silent andthat what he was doing to him was normal,Godin-Blanchardsaid.

"His whole life he thought he was alone and he decided to keep silent."

With regard to the victim's testimony,Godin-Blanchardsaid heexpressed himself with simplicity. At no point did he hesitate to answer.

"At no point did he try to exaggerate facts surrounding the allegations," she said. "He's testifying as an adult, but he has the perception of a 12-year-old child. The court has to take that into consideration.

"His testimony was unwavering, even though he talked about things he wasn't comfortable with."

Godin-Blanchardargued there werelittle details in the victim'stestimony that he couldn't have made up and used the example of remembering pants with an elastic band that the priest allegedly pulled down.

Self-serving testimony

The prosecutor told the court all theincidents had an impact on thevictim. Hefailed his studies andthought about suicide.

Arsenault's argument that he would have pleaded guilty had hecommitted the acts was weak and his testimony self-serving.

"When I interviewedYvonArsenault, it was like pulling teeth."

Godin-Blanchardtold the court she believes sheproved thecase beyond a reasonable doubt and the court should findArsenaultguilty.

"The victim didn't try to embellish anything. He told it as he remembered.He testified to the best of his knowledge and hedeserves justice like all the others."

The judge will deliver his verdict at 9 a.m. Sept. 21.