Class action application filed against Collège Servites regarding alleged acts of pedophilia committed in the 1970s

Aformer student of the Collège Servites in Ayer’s Cliff (previously known as Collége Notre-dame des Servites), has submitted a request to launch a class action lawsuit against the school, claiming that he was repeatedly sexually abused by a teacher while he studied there between 1973-75.

The alleged victim, now 57-years-old, believes he was not the only student to have been assaulted, and has come forward on behalf of anyone who may have endured similar abuse from his alleged abuser, father Jacques Desgrandchamps, or any other member of the Servites religious order that ran the school at the time.

According to the alleged victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, he was at the French boy’s school for Secondary 2 and 3. Between the ages of 12-14, he claims to have been routinely abused by Desgrandchamps, who was his history teacher.

According to information in the recently filed lawsuit application, Desgrandchamps was at Notre Dame des Servites for 15 years, also serving the parishes of Ste-marguerite-marie in Magog and St. Barthèlèmy in Ayer’s Cliff while living in the area.

Desgrandchamps is still active in the religious community and is currently serving the Saint-antoine de Padoue parish in Ottawa.

The lawsuit application details how the victim was allegedly asked to assist Desgrandchamps with some teaching tasks, eventually requiring him to accompany the priest to his room to do additional work. While there, he claims to have been given alcohol and at one point told that it was too late to return to the dormitory and to stay in the room on the priest’s single bed. It was then that the abuse allegedly began, with the victim forced to engage in oral sex.

The alleged victim claims that while the abuse, which went on for close to two years was happening, he was given special privileges by Desgrandchamps, including a key to the elevator and access to the priests cafeteria.

Even though it was against the rules for a student to be out of bed at night or frequent the section of the building where the priests lived, the lawsuit application pointed out that the alleged victim said he was never reprimanded for not being in the dormitory at night.

The application lists nine members of the Servites order, all of whom the alleged victim claims saw him walking the halls of the priests living quarters or coming and going from Desgrandchamps room on a regular basis. He claims that it was the responsibility of those men to have intervened and protected him.

The lawsuit application also points out that the alleged victim wasn’t the only student to have special privileges and visit Desgrandchamps’ room, suggesting there could be other victims.

The request to file the class action suit will go before a judge at the Sherbrooke courthouse this coming Dec.18 at 9 a.m.

Kugler Kandestin, the law firm handling the alleged victims class action application, is encouraging other abuse victims who attended the school to make contact by emailing rkugler@kklex.com or calling Robert Kugler (514) 878-2861 ext 116. Any information will be kept confidential.