A former Catholic priest who pleaded guilty to indecent assault against seven Inuit children more than four decades ago has been sentenced to six years in prison.

An Iqaluit court heard Eric Dejaeger assaulted six girls and one boy between 1978 and 1982 in the hamlet of Iglulik.

SA国际影视传媒淗e destroyed their childhood, hurt their relations with their families and ruined their relationship with their church,SA国际影视传媒� Justice Faiyaz Alibhai said in his sentencing decision Thursday.

SA国际影视传媒淭he trauma reverberated to the next generation, as the children of his victims also suffered from the consequences of his actions.SA国际影视传媒�

Court heard harrowing accounts last week from five abuse survivors, who were between the ages of four and nine when the assaults took place.

The judge paused frequently to allow an interpreter to repeat his words in Inuktitut.

SA国际影视传媒淰irtually all of the victims advised that the offences destroyed their relationship with the Catholic Church, marginalized them, made it difficult for them to communicate with their loved ones, to engage in physical intimacy or to be close to their children,SA国际影视传媒� Alibhai said.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey also became overprotective of their children.SA国际影视传媒�

Crown and defence lawyers had jointly recommended the six years.

Dejaeger, 77, stood in court and made brief remarks before he was sentenced.

SA国际影视传媒淚 would like to ask for forgiveness for the cruel things I have done,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淚 am a changed person. And all the time I have been in prison SA国际影视传媒� I have had a lot of time to think. And also the last 40 years, I have not reoffended.SA国际影视传媒�

Alibhai noted this was the fifth time Dejaeger had been sentenced for crimes against children. He was previously been convicted of abusing dozens of other children in Nunavut and Alberta.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Jan. 30, 2025.

SA国际影视传媒擝y Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press