The Catholic Church hasn’t allowed Father Brian Boucher to practise ecclesiastical duties since 2015. But he showed up every day this week for his sexual assault trial, wearing his priests’ collar.
Testifying in his own defence, Boucher said he always acted as a priest should.
“I was never sexually inappropriate with (anyone),” Boucher said.
Boucher faces multiple accounts of sexually assaulting minors. He calls the accusations a complete fabrication.
READ MORE: Montreal priest takes the stand and denies allegations in sexual abuse trial
The trial, which started Monday, revolved around a man, now in his 20s, who testified Boucher sexually assaulted him between 2008 and 2011. He alleges it happened while Boucher was the priest at the Our Lady of the Annunciation Church in Town of Mount Royal.
He was a pre-teen at the time and heavily involved in the church. His identity is protected by a publication ban.
He testified multiple acts of fellatio and sexual touching eventually led to anal penetration.
WATCH BELOW: Father Brian Boucher takes the stand in his own defense
In his closing arguments, defence lawyer James Cocciardi attacked the credibility of Boucher’s accuser.
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The accuser had testified that the abuse often took place on Tuesday nights, after catechism class. The defence argued Boucher was often busy on Tuesday nights, and was rarely alone, with multiple children attending the classes. A church secretary also testified Boucher was rarely alone on those nights, and she was often the last to leave after locking up the church.
Cocciardi questioned why the accuser went on three trips to Mexico, Washington and the Charlevoix with Boucher.
READ MORE: Trial begins for Montreal priest accused of sexual assault
Those trips came years after the alleged abuse happened, while the accuser was an adult.
“He’s an adult, he’s 19. He doesn’t have to go on vacation to Washington to visit his (alleged) aggressor,” Cocciardi said.
The defence argued the accuser had a grudge with Boucher, and the sexual assault accusations were payback.
That’s because Boucher informed the boys’ parents he had behaved inappropriately with a girl when he was 16, grinding up against her. The girl’s mother found out, and called Boucher to let him know. Boucher elected to inform his accusers’ parents, with whom he had a close relationship, often joining them for family dinners.
READ MORE: Montreal priest charged with sexual assault spanning 15 years
The parents reacted with anger, taking away the boy’s electronics and grounding him for a year and a half.
The defence also questioned why the accused only reported the assault to police, five years after it allegedly ended.
For its part, the Crown argued many victims of sexual assault wait to report abuse because of trauma.
Earlier Boucher had testified he was rarely alone with anyone — a male, female, adult or child. He said the rectory had large windows on it that made it easy to see what was happening in the offices. He also said a secretary was often around to keep an eye on things. The Crown questioned why he thought he shouldn’t be alone with anyone.
“It was the ethical thing to do,” he said, comparing it to doctors not being left alone with patients.
WATCH BELOW: Montreal priest on trial for sexual assault
Crown lawyer Annabelle Sheppard had called a second victim to testify about abuse by Boucher.
She said the two accusers had never met and the alleged abuse took place a decade apart.
She said their stories couldn’t just be coincidences.
As for the trips with Boucher, Sheppard argued Boucher helped pay for the trips, and they were a way to help keep his victim silent.
The judge will render her decision Jan. 8.
Boucher also faces another separate trial also happening in January, involving two accusers.
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