Bishop Lahey's double life

This is an edited version of the story I filed on Bishop Lahey's sentencing hearing.  I did not lead with this information in the piece I filed, but in discussion with the editor, I agreed this information was probably the most newsworthy of the hearing so I did not mind it being moved up. 

  

OTTAWA - Disgraced Bishop Raymond Lahey engaged in a number of homosexual “one-night stands” before settling into a 10-year relationship with a man, according to testimony Dec. 19 at Lahey’s sentencing hearing on child pornography charges.

Court also heard that Lahey has an addiction to Internet pornography but is probably not a pedophile and poses a next-to-zero chance of offending sexually or violently against children, according to a forensic psychiatrist. Dr. John Bradford, who examined Lahey, said Lahey has gay sadomasochistic fantasies where he is the submissive partner, although Lahey claims he has never acted on them.

The former Antigonish bishop, 71, pleaded guilty last May to possession of child pornography for the purpose of importation. He opted to go directly to jail before sentencing and has served seven and a half months.

Lahey will be sentenced on Jan. 4.

The Crown is seeking an 18-22 month sentence. Lahey’s lawyers argued for the minimum one-year sentence and said Lahey is entitled to a two-for-one credit for time already served, and therefore should be immediately released.

The Truth in Sentencing Act, which abolished double credit for jail time served prior to sentencing, was passed in February 2010. But because Lahey was charged in September 2009 he should be exempt from the new law, his lawyer argued.

In a sexual history inventory, Lahey revealed to Bradford that he had engaged in “a number of one-night stands” before settling into a “longstanding relationship that has lasted 10 years.” Lahey said he hopes to continue the relationship when he leaves prison.

His attorney, Michael Edelson, told CCN he knew about the romantic relationship and said the other man was not a cleric but a “civilian.”

The CBC reports that Lahey read from a prepared statement the following:

Lahey read for a statement in which he admitted to being addicted to internet porn "on an indiscriminate basis."
He said though he desired to be found out, he did not seek help because of his position in the church. But he said being arrested was a blessing and that others could learn from his experience.
"To others, look at what they are doing cease it and seek help," he said from a statement written on a piece of paper. "It causes genuine harm to children."
"I apologize to those I may have hurt by the actions. I apologize to the church, to my family," he said.

-snip-

Dr. John Bradford, the psychiatrist who assessed Lahey for both the Crown and the defence, confirmed Lahey told him he would still be a bishop if he had not been caught.

Yikes.  How can someone lead this kind of double-life? 

I felt kind of sorry for him---he's 71, frail-looking and the shame of this must be just awful.  But what scandal he has caused.  Is causing.