WINNIPEG – A former Orthodox priest is appealing his conviction for molesting an altar boy almost 30 years ago.
Seraphim Storheim was sentenced to eight months in jail Wednesday for sexually assaulting a boy who came to visit him in Winnipeg in 1985.
Storheim showed no emotion in court as Justice Christopher Mainella called his actions deplorable and a gross breach of trust.
The Crown had asked for a 12-month jail sentence, arguing Storheim abused a position of trust, but his lawyer argued for a conditional sentence with no jail time.
At the time of the offence, Storheim was a priest in the Orthodox Church in America but later rose to archbishop — the church’s highest-ranking cleric in Canada.
The 68-year-old was placed on leave when he was arrested in 2010 and retired following his conviction.
Storheim’s lawyer, Jeff Gindin, said his client is appealing the conviction and the jail sentence.
“There will be plenty” of grounds for appeal, Gindin said. “Essentially we feel (Mainella) analyzed credibility with errors all the way through.”
Ginden said Storheim will try to get bail on Thursday.
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