Hubert Patrick O'Connor, OMI (17 February 1928 – 24 July 2007) was a Canadian Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Prince George from 1986 until his resignation following charges of sex crimes stemming from his time as principal of Saint Joseph's Mission Residential School in Williams Lake.
Based on the victims' comments, the Crown prosecution service entered a stay of proceedings to avoid revictimising them at another trial.
He then served as the Bishop of Prince George, British Columbia from 1986 to 1991 before resigning after being charged with multiple sex crimes.
[2] Eight women testified that O'Connor repeatedly molested, raped, coerced, and physically and sexually abused young Indigenous girls at St. Joseph's Mission.
[3] Testimonies revealed that O'Connor also entered into sexual relationships with female staff at St. Joseph's who were in their teens and early 20s.
[6] At the second trial, in 1996, O'Connor was acquitted on two of the charges, but convicted of rape and indecent assault of two young Indigenous women that occurred at St. Joseph's Residential School.
Court of Appeal acquitted O'Connor on the charge of indecent assault, and ordered a new trial on one count of rape.
[9] The Crown, having considered the impact of O'Connor's apology and the extent to which the trials had retraumatized his victims, decided to drop the remaining rape charge.
stating that O'Connor sexually assaulted Petruk and other teen boys with fellow priests at St. Joseph's Mission.