A Catholic priest charged with molesting a Sudbury altar boy
more than 30 years ago was found unfit to stand trial following a
brief hearing late last week at the Sudbury Courthouse.
Outside the courthouse, Richard Brazeau, 52, a man who says he
was sexually molested during a single incident by Father Benoit
Fortier, also known as Bernard Fortier, who is now in his 90s,
asked other victims of sexual abuse by priests to come
forward.
Brazeau said he suffered emotional scars for many years until he
finally got counselling three years ago.
Benoit’s lawyer Denis Michel presented a doctor’s letter to the
court, and assistant Crown attorney Julie Lefebvre didn’t oppose
Michel’s request Fortier be deemed unfit to stand trial.
Justice William Fitzgerald agreed to Lefebvre’s request to stay
the charges filed against Benoit in relation to one count of
sexually assaulting Brazeau while parish priest at a Sudbury church
in 1963.
Fortier has late-stage Alzheimer’s disease and couldn’t
understand the charges against him or properly advise counsel,
Michel told the court.
Fortier was convicted in 2003 of sexually assaulting a young boy
back in 1987 near Sturgeon Falls. At a court hearing in North Bay
in June 2003, Fortier pleaded guilty to one count of sexual
assault and one count of gross indecency.
Michel submitted a doctor’s report at that hearing explaining
Fortier was suffering from the early stages of dementia or
Alzheimer’s disease.
The presiding judge sentenced Fortier to a daily curfew and
ordered him to not have any contact with his victim and not be
alone with anyone under the age of 16.
Brazeau has been married three times, abused drugs and alcohol
and has has a poor relationship with his children.
“It’s only after three years of therapy that I’m starting to
have any kind of relationship with my kids again,” said Brazeau. “I
know there are others out there who are hurting...I’m hoping they
might come forward and seek help.”
Brazeau said he fully expected the court to rule Fortier not
competent to stand trial and that doesn’t bother him because he
knows Fortier is a very feeble and elderly man, but he wanted to
tell his story to try and help other victims.
“I’m trying to help others who were victims...that’s my greatest hope,” he said.