A 92-year-old retired priest, Arthur Masse, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to one count of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl at a Manitoba Indian residential school more than 50 years ago.
Arthur Masse was arrested at his Winnipeg residence last June.
According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the alleged crime occurred between 1968 and 1970 when Arthur Masse was an employee of the Fort Alexander residential school.
The accused was not present on Wednesday when the case returned to court. The next date for court proceedings has been set for September 14.
Nor did Arthur Masse appear in person in court shortly after his arrest. His lawyer had appeared on his behalf in court in Powerview, north of Winnipeg.
This absence had outraged his alleged victim, Victoria McIntosh, who is now in her sixties. She had hoped for the priest to be in court so she could face him for the first time in over 50 years.
She had come to court holding a sweater she wore as a child.
Ms McIntosh had said talking about her experience at residential school was one of the hardest things she had done, although she felt like she had finally been heard.
The Canadian Press does not usually name plaintiffs in such cases, but Victoria McIntosh has said she wants to speak out publicly and no publication ban has been ordered by the court.
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