Toronto
Basilian Fathers ordered to pay £1.5m in damages for abuse
A Toronto jury has ordered the Congregation of St Basil to pay $2.6 million (£1.5 million) in damages to a man abused by a priest 50 years ago. The sum is a record for clerical abuse in Canada. The court heard that Hod Marshall (pictured) was moved between schools despite admitting he had abused teenage boys. In 2011 he was convicted of 17 instances of indecent assault and given a two-year sentence. Rod MacLeod, who was abused over four years, said he was pleased a new benchmark had been set. Fr David Katulski, the Basilians’ vicar general, apologised “sincerely and unreservedly” for Marshall’s conduct but said the order was considering an appeal.
