A B.C. man is alleging a priest and Scout master sexually abused him as a child in Bella Bella.
Bertram Wayne Brown names the United Church of Canada and Scouts Canada in a Nov. 18 B.C. Supreme Court notice of civil claim signed by Preszler Law lawyer Christopher McDougall.
The claim alleges Father Tom York, also allegedly a Scout leader, abused Brown at Darby Memorial Church in Bella Bella, 500 km northeast of Vancouver.
It alleges York abused Brown between the ages of seven and nine at the church and while on Scout outings “on a repeated basis, increasing in frequency, nature and intensity as time progressed.”
“The perpetrator's behaviour constituted sexual abuse, sexual battery, and sexual assault,” the claim said. “The institutional defendants are vicariously liable for the wrongful actions of the perpetrator.”
The claim asserts York behaved in such a way as to make the child believe it would be unsafe to report the situation.
It claims York “negligently (inflicted) pain and suffering, mental suffering, humiliation, and degradation upon the plaintiff, sexually assaulted the plaintiff and interfered with the plaintiff's normal childhood and future relationships solely for the purpose of his own gratification.”
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
The claim said the defendants had a responsibility to protect the child from such behaviour.
The law firm acting for the United Church said the church does not comment on ongoing litigation.
Scouts Canada did not respond to a Glacier Media request for comment.
The claim asserted that the situation caused Brown to experience multiple forms of pain, anguish, psychological damages, distrust of authority figures and men and impairment of relationships.
