Sex assault charge against Ontario Catholic priest dropped

A sexual assault charge has been dropped against a Catholic priest, Halton Regional Police confirmed on Tuesday.

The Diocese of Hamilton said in a news release on Aug. 10 that Father Ranjan D’Sa of Oakville, Ont., had the case against him withdrawn at the request of the Crown Attorney’s Office.

“We wish to make public the withdrawal of the charge against Fr. D’Sa to assist in restoring his reputation and declare that he is a priest in good standing with the faculties necessary to continue to exercise his priestly ministry,” the diocese wrote.

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On Tuesday, Halton Regional Police, which had originally been investigating, confirmed to Global News that the case against D’Sa had been withdrawn by the court.

The Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General told Global News on Sept. 1 that the charge against D’Sa was withdrawn on July 24, and that he had entered into a common law peace bond the same day.

D’Sa has been a member of the clergy since 2010 and the diocese said he’s served as pastor of St. Dominic Parish in Oakville since 2016, as well as the Dean of Halton.

The charge was laid earlier this year after police said they began an investigation in February into an allegation of sexual assault committed against a woman while she was volunteering at an Oakville church.

The Diocese of Hamilton told Global News that D’Sa won’t return as pastor of St. Dominic, saying his next assignment will be “determined by his religious community.”

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect D’Sa entering into a peace bond which was confirmed by the Ministry of the Attorney General.