Accused takes the stand in Saskatchewan residential school abuse case

BATTLEFORD, Sask. – A former dormitory supervisor at a residential school in Saskatchewan has taken the stand in his defence and denied all charges of indecently assaulting students.

Paul Leroux, who is representing himself at trial, went through the list of allegations one by one Thursday and refuted them all.

He said one incident of sexual abuse couldn’t possibly have happened because the room one complainant alleges he was molested in didn’t exist at the time.

He said another alleged incident at a Saskatoon hotel couldn’t have happened because he never travelled to Saskatoon with the school’s choir or stayed in a hotel with them.

When his testimony was complete, Leroux finished by saying he wished all of his former students well, including his accusers.

Several witnesses have testified they were molested by Leroux at the Beauval Indian Residential School in the 1960s.

Leroux, who is 72, has pleaded not guilty to indecent assault involving about a dozen former students.

The trial is being heard by judge alone in Court of Queen’s Bench in the town of Battleford, Sask.

(CJNB)