A Coquitlam man convicted of 11 historical sex crimes will be sentenced this month.
On Thursday (Jan. 5), Justice W. Paul Riley of BC Supreme Court in New Westminster said he would make his ruling on Jan. 20 against Raymond Howard Gaglardi, a church therapist who went by "Dr. Ray."
Crown Counsel is asking for 17 to 24 consecutive years in jail for Gaglardi, cut to 10 to 12 years under the totality principle, while defence is seeking a six- to seven-year jail term, adjusted to five years.
In September, following a trial, Gaglardi was convicted for sex offences dating back 51 years while he served as a therapist and guidance leader for various churches in Metro Vancouver, including Glad Tidings Church in Vancouver and Hillside Community Church in Coquitlam.
Gaglardi and Glad Tidings are now being sued by the victims.
Last month, Riley heard the victim impact statements of three men who spoke about how Gaglardi took advantage of them as children and young men.
As a result, their relationships were "looked through the lens of fear and suspicion," one man told the judge.
"How could I love or trust anyone when I believed they had an ulterior motive? That their reason for wanting to be my friend was to hurt me, to manipulate me into letting my guard down so they could abuse me?"
"Added to this was all the guilt I felt because of my silence," he added. "Always wondering how many other vulnerable young boys had experienced the same betrayal."
In 2021, Gaglardi was charged with 25 counts after a plea by Coquitlam RCMP for victims to come forward.
One victim, whose case of sexual assault by Gaglardi was stayed, marched outside the New Westminster Law Courts with a placard during a hearing last month, calling out Gaglardi's name as his abuser.
