A former Montreal priest convicted in 2019 of sexually assaulting two boys will remain in custody until his next court appearance after his lawyer told a judge the accused has waived his right to a bail hearing.
Accused remains detained while new charges proceed
The Crown informed the court that Brian Boucher, 64, will not seek a bail hearing at this time. Boucher faces charges of possessing and accessing child sexual abuse material, and the case has been scheduled to return to court on Nov. 23.
Boucher has a prior conviction relating to sexual offences involving minors. In 2019 he was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment after being found guilty in one case and pleading guilty in another. Those offences related to the sexual assault of two boys at separate churches, with incidents dated between 1995 and 1999 in one matter and between 2008 and 2011 in the other.
After serving most of that sentence, Boucher was granted statutory release in 2024 and was living in the community at an approved residential facility when he was arrested on the new charges.
- Accused: Brian Boucher, age 64.
- Previous sentence: 8 years (2019 conviction for sexual assault of two boys).
- New charges: possessing and accessing child sexual abuse material.
- Next court date: Nov. 23.
"Boucher's lawyer told a judge Tuesday that her client has waived his right to a bail hearing."
Local context and institutional connections
Boucher served in the Catholic clergy across the Montreal area for decades. Court records and reporting note he worked in 10 Montreal-area churches between 1985 and 2015. Following his 2019 conviction, he was formally stripped of his priesthood in 2020.
The re-emergence of charges while a former offender is under statutory release and residing in an approved facility raises questions about monitoring, community safety and the oversight of release conditions. Those issues typically involve Correctional Service of Canada case-management practices for federally sentenced offenders and the role of local authorities when fresh allegations arise.
| Year | Key event |
|---|---|
| 1985–2015 | Employment at 10 Montreal-area churches |
| 2019 | Sentenced to 8 years for sexual assault of two boys |
| 2020 | Stripped of priesthood |
| 2024 | Granted statutory release; residing at approved residential facility |
| 2026 | Arrested on new charges; detained until Nov. 23 court date |
Officials in the criminal-justice system generally do not comment on ongoing investigations or the specifics of parole and statutory-release supervision. The scheduled return to court will provide an opportunity for Crown and defence to address the new allegations and for the court to consider procedural steps, including disclosure and any applications that may follow.
For victims of historical abuse and community members, high-profile cases such as this can reopen wounds and prompt renewed calls for transparency from religious institutions and law-enforcement bodies. Local advocates for survivors and legal experts often urge clarity about safeguards in place when previously convicted offenders reintegrate into community settings.
The case against Boucher remains before the courts. His next scheduled appearance is Nov. 23, when proceedings on the new charges will continue.
