'Bring it to light': Ex-priest from Regina in court following historic sexual assault charges

Former Regina priest facing sexual assault charges WATCH: A former priest is facing sexual assault charges from incidents in Manitoba 50 years ago. Sierra D’Souza Butts reports.

Wednesday marked the first court appearance for an 81-year-old former priest from Regina who is facing several historic sexual assault charges stemming from alleged incidents in Manitoba.

Family members of the woman – Shelley Trubiak - who reported the alleged assault to RCMP Russell Detachment spoke to CTV News.

“She's carried this for 66 years, it's impacted every moment of her life,” Trubiak’s niece, Aimee Proskie, explained.

In March 2022, Trubiak reported the alleged assault to police. She told officers she had been sexually assaulted multiple times over the course of two years while she was a parishioner at St. Elijah Romanian Orthodox Church.

Around two years later, on June 13, 81-year-old Constantin Turcoane turned himself in to police to face charges for the sexual assault that allegedly occurred when he was a priest at a church in Lennard, Manitoba, according to a Saskatchewan RCMP news release.

Investigators took statements from multiple people, conducted a search of historic church records and liaised with “church-related organizations to obtain further investigative material,” according to the RCMP.

"I don't think justice will ever be served, he's an 80 year old man at this point, but I think it's important that she has a voice and uses that voice to empower herself and empower other women,” said Proskie.

The woman and her family grew up on a farm in Lennard, Manitoba located right across the church where Turcoane served as a priest during the time of the alleged assault.

At the time of the alleged assaults she was 11 and 12 years old, the RCMP said.

“As children, we spent a lot of time here at the church with different functions. We were here a lot,” said Trubiak’s sister, Leesa Gross.

“It's hard to believe that these things happen, but they do happen, and they have happened. Again, this is a healing journey for Shelly and for any other woman or women that he done anything to. We just want to bring it to light.”

Investigators believe there are other alleged survivors. They’re asking anyone with information to call the Russell RCMP detachment.

"It is important for her to be able to bring this story forward because she needs to have herself healed from that,” Gross expressed.

“She has carried this for many years and she deserves to have a peaceful life."

Turcoane is set to return to provincial court in Russell on Oct. 23.