SASKATOON – All sexual assault charges against Catholic Priest Father Anthony Atter were stayed after his defence lawyer provided relevant court documents to the Crown prosecutor.
Atter was to stand trial on charges of sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and sexual interference. A jury of eight women and four men had been selected Monday for the trial in Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench.
“Crown counsel Jennifer Claxton-Viczko directed a stay of proceedings late Monday afternoon after she was provided with documents, texts and photographs relevant to the case by the defence,” said defence lawyer Brian Pfefferle in a statement to media June 7.
“After the preliminary inquiry and pre-trial applications, we felt it appropriate to share with the Crown all relevant information so that they could properly assess this case. While it is sometimes important to hold back certain evidence from complainants, other times it is necessary to share information with the Crown so that they can properly assess their case.
“Given the sensitive nature of these cases and the identity of the complainant, we are unable to comment further on the type of evidence we provide to the Crown.”
Pfefferle said Atter had always maintained his innocence.
“He has never harmed any child. He loved the community he worked in and the people in it. He is grateful for the significant support he received from parishioners and community members who stood by him throughout this entire process. Some 80 people were planning to attend to demonstrate their support for him on Tuesday morning.”
As a priest, Atter was responsible for three parishes including St Gregory in Saint Gregor, St Ann in Annaheim, and St Anthony in Lake Lenore. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon removed Atter from the ministry when they learned of the charges against him in December 2020.
“Allegations of sexual abuse are part of an unfortunate legacy which has followed the Catholic Church,” said Pfefferle. “As a result, hypervigilance is a necessity. Appropriately, the Bishop asked Fr Atter to step away from duties until this matter was resolved.”
Now that Atter has been cleared of all charges, he is uncertain of his future, said Pfefferle, adding that Atter will co-operate with any internal investigations and wants to remain in Saskatchewan.
"Fr Atter is relieved to be moving on from this matter," said Pfefferle.
