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Friday, September 6, 2013
No jail time for former Saanich priest Five months conditional sentence for sex offence
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Campus
crowding Dozens of new arrivals living in UVic lounges with campus housing at overcapacity
Kyle Slavin News staff
Phil Jacobs, a former Saanich priest, will serve a five-month conditional sentence, including two months house arrest, followed by two years probation, after being found guilty of touching a young person for a sexual purpose. Phil Jacobs, 63, on Wednesday walked out of the Victoria Law Courts to begin his sentence, after B.C. Supreme Court Justice J. Miriam Gropper determined he could avoid jail time, as he is deemed a low to moderate risk to reoffend. Gropper said she put particular emphasis on “deterrence and denunciation” in deciding between incarceration and a conditional sentence. “In terms of the present conditions, his freedom is limited significantly over the next five months by the court, and then for a further two years after that,” said defence lawyer Chris Considine. Among Jacobs’ conditions are two months of house arrest, 50 hours of community service and the requirement to undergo sex offender counselling. PleASe See: Sentence, Page A8
Sharon Tiffin/News staff
Danae Johnston helps 18-year-old Rachel Willson, left, with her things as she moves into the University of Victoria dorm. With a flood of new students this year, some will be sleeping and studying in lounges converted to makeshift dorms.
Kyle Slavin News staff
A jump in the number of firstyear students at the University of Victoria and not enough space in on-campus housing has forced the university to turn some dormitory common areas into bedrooms. Some 55 first-years are living in dorm lounges, converted into two- and three-bedroom apartments, a measure the university hopes will only be temporary. “This helps us with our housing crunch in September,” said Joel Lynn, UVic’s executive director of student services. “We do
anticipate those students in alternative housing will likely get reassigned into one of our traditional bed spaces by the end of September. We can’t say definitively everybody will be out of temporary housing by then, but we do think the majority will be.” Beds typically become available throughout September as students either are no-shows at UVic, or decide after a few weeks that university isn’t for them – but just how many remains to be seen. Housing students in commonarea lounges isn’t a new occurrence at UVic. In 2008 and 2009 the university was faced with
a similar situation, where there were too many students guaranteed housing and too few beds for them. In the 2008-09 school year, 120 were housed in common-room lounges around campus until January 2009. Since 2007, the school has guaranteed it will provide a room to all first-year students who qualify for housing. Lynn says the common rooms are completely converted, including changing the locks so they are not accessible by other students, and those students living in them aren’t surprised by their accommodation when they arrive
on campus. “We advise those students and their parents before they arrive that we have an alternative housing format for them,” he said. “And to thank those students for their patience, we’ve provided them with a $250 book store gift certificate, and they have other options with meal plans. The university has really tried to reach out to those students.” Lynn says the university has about 2,300 beds in on-campus housing, including around 100 for staff and units for families. PleASe See: UVic common areas, Page A8 OPEN HOUSE SEPT 7th 1-3 pm
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