The sexual assault charges against Neil Pereira, a former Peterborough Priest who formerly served as the campus minister for Trent University and Fleming College while on loan from the Archdiocese of Toronto, have been withdrawn.
Pereira had been charged with sexual interference and sexual assault of a minor in July of 2023, however, the charges were withdrawn on March 12th by Justice Brenda Green at the request of the Crown.
At the time of Pereira’s arrest by the Peterborough Police Service, a statement from the Diocese of Peterborough noted that Pereira had been “removed from pastoral ministry upon receipt of the allegation” and was subsequently reported to Children’s Aid Society and Peterborough Police Services.
A joint statement from the Diocese of Peterborough and the Archdiocese of Toronto on Tuesday (March 12) notes that while the criminal charges and investigation have concluded, the Archdiocese “will conduct its ecclesial investigation in accordance with its policy” and a further update will be provided once it is complete.
When the charges were announced by police in 2023, the Peterborough Police Service noted that Pereira’s name was being released as “the nature of the offences leads us to concerns there may be other victims.”
On Wednesday the joint-statement from the Diocese of Peterborough and the Archdiocese of Toronto noted that everyone is entitled to due process in the face of very public allegations.
“We recognize that any allegation of misconduct against a priest is newsworthy. At the same time, it is essential to update stories and reports to reflect that the charges have been withdrawn to assist in restoring the reputation of Fr. Pereira.”
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