A Cloverdale pastor has been found guilty on one count of sexual assault, while his wife has been acquitted on all counts.
Samuel Emerson was a pastor at Cloverdale Christian Fellowship Church for eight years.
Emerson was being tried on five counts of sexual assault, two counts of touching a young person for a sexual purpose, and one count of sexual interference.
His wife Madelaine was charged with two counts of sexual assault, one count touching a young person for a sexual purpose and one count of threats to cause death or bodily harm.
A publication ban was in effect to protect the identities of the victims.
“I was kind of overwhelmed by it all, I know everybody involved, and its the first time to hear a lot of the circumstances,” said Emerson’s father, Randy, the church’s senior pastor.
“So, it’s been a long two and a half years for us, and lots of hurt all the way around.”
Many members of the church were in attendance at the Surrey court room where the verdict was delivered, some of them expressing disappointment with the result.
Emerson will be sentenced at a later date, and remains free from custody on court-ordered conditions.
The offences were alleged to have occurred between 2015 and 2017.
Randy Emerson told Global News in a previous interview the incidents were alleged to have taken place off church grounds.
Randy also previously told Global News that Samuel resigned his position upon his arrest.
He said the family’s five children had been living with their grandparents after their parents’ arrest.
With files from Catherine Urquhart
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