David Norton was found guilty of three counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault.
During this day of the trial all four of the witness’s sat in the courtroom waiting to hear what would be decided. One of the witness’s sat holding a feather of an eagle (which holds significance for the indigenous community) with his eyes closed. The witness seemed to be in silent prayer before court started.
The judge started by asking everyone in the room to not react to any of the decisions that were to be made.
The judge started the day by going over all of the testimonies that were made last week by the four witness’s.
The judge is assessing whether or not what the witness's had said prior is true or not. As well as the difference between credible and reliable evidence.
— XFM News (@XFMNews) November 6, 2018
She went through all of the events these people had to go through. She looked into how terrified the children had to be at the time, as well as how it has affected them now so many years later.
Norton said all he wanted was to be the boys friend. He also denied many things that were said during the testimonies.
The judge expressed that she had “a BIG problem” with Norton’s evidence. One example being, why when he had the boys over they did not sleep in his mother’s former room (after she had passed).
As well as why Norton rejected boys who were rude to him, aren’t priest supposed to help anyone who may be having trouble?
Although saying Norton appears to be educated she wondered why did not stop the inappropriate contact with these young boys.
Norton denied things like kissing the boys on the lips.
which includes Norton getting into bed with him, witness feeling stubble on his body, felt Norton's penis on his back and then feeling a sticky substance…
— XFM News (@XFMNews) November 6, 2018
The judge did not believe this.
She accounted for some inconsistencies in the witness’s stories as it simply happened around fifty years ago and they had suffered from childhood trauma.
After the judge decided Norton guilty with three counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault she started getting the sentencing date organized.
It was decided Norton the sentencing submission will be January 18, 2019 and the final sentencing decision will be on January 25, 2019.
Prior to this the four witness’s had described all the memories they had with Norton all that time ago. These memories included bringing them to his apartment when they were all under the age of 15. In all of the testimonies it was said Norton would sleep in the same bed with these young boys. The boys would ether sleep in their underwear or in pajamas’s that was borrowed by Norton and were far to big.
There were also a few accounts from the witness’s say Norton would allow them to drive his car. They would sit on Norton’s lap, they would work the wheel and he would work the pedals. In one specific case a witness said he could feel Norton’s erection. Norton will also rub the witness in the groin area while he was driving.
There were many other memories the witness’s shared during last week’s court dates the the judge took into consideration.
David Norton is a former Anglican Priest and has been charged with abusing indigenous boys at Chippewas-of-the-Thames-First-Nations 49 years ago. He is already serving four years for sexual abuses in the 90’s.
