Anglican priest accused of multiple sex offences dies in hospital

An Anglican priest accused of sexually assaulting 13 young men in Edmonton has died. 

Gordon William Dominey, 67, allegedly sexually assaulted the youths when he was employed at the Edmonton Youth Development Centre from 1985 to 1989. He faced 21 sexual assault charges and 12 gross indecency charges. 

Dominey transferred from the Diocese of Edmonton to the Diocese of New Westminster in Vancouver in July of 1990.

He was the priest-in-charge at St. Catherine's Anglican Church in North Vancouver from the summer of 2015 until he was arrested in Coquitlam on Feb. 4, when the Bishop of New Westminster, Melissa Skelton, placed Dominey on administrative leave, according to a release.

• Trials adjourned for Anglican priest accused of multiple sexual offences
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Following a preliminary hearing in Edmonton provincial court, Dominey was committed to stand trial in February 2017. Defence lawyer Kent Teskey said Dominey was diagnosed with cancer in the summer of 2017 and has been undergoing chemotherapy since that time. 

Dominey was in a hospice, and was moved to a Burnaby, B.C.,  hospital on fairly short notice where he died Thursday morning. 

Due to the accused's health, a scheduled trial was adjourned twice, most recently last week. 

At the time, one of Dominey's alleged victims told CBC News, "A lot of us were looking for closure on it. I think we're going to be robbed of our chance."

A lawsuit has been filed in Court of Queen's Bench that seeks reparations for the alleged victims, not only from Dominey, but also the province and Anglican Diocese of Edmonton. The group is seeking to have the case certified as a class action lawsuit.

• Alleged victims claim sexual abuse in lawsuit against province, church, priest

The lawyer representing the men who claim they were sexually assaulted by Dominey issued a statement after hearing about his death. 

"My clients remain committed to holding those responsible for the abuse they suffered as children accountable for their actions," Avnish Nanda wrote. "Father Dominey's passing provides the Diocese and Alberta an opportunity to do the right thing — the moral thing —by coming to the table to resolve this matter.

"My clients have already endured so much." 

A spokesperson for the Edmonton Anglican Diocese declined comment.