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Beating children with rod not considered to be for corrective
purposes
By Tara Hencher
After more than two weeks of trial, a former Roman Catholic nun
was found guilty of five charges of assaulting children who lived
with her on a religious commune in Fredericton, P.E.I.
Lucille Poulin says she hit the children with a wooden rod for corrective
purposes and the Bible gave her permission to do it.
“Spare the rod, spoil the child,” she quoted from the
Bible when they testified.
During the trial, the five children testified they were beaten for
things like taking a cookie or laughing at the kitchen table. They
said they weren’t always told what they had done wrong. Sometimes
Poulin would just start hitting them.
“She just got angry and took her anger out on kids and she
enjoyed it,” said one of the young boys, whose name can’t
be revealed because of a publication ban.
“She was smiling,” he added.
Another boy testifed Poulin would chase the children through the
house, hitting them on different parts of their bodies.
“Her face would get all red, and she’d just go psycho
with it,” he said.
During closing arguments, defence lawyer Zia Chishti argued there
was no physical proof the children had been assaulted, and it was
needed to prove the force used on the children was excessive.
But prosecutor Darrell Coombs said the charge of simple assault
didn’t require proof of injury. If there had been proof, the
charge would have been assault causing bodily harm.
Chishti’s other argument was that Poulin hit the children for
corrective purposes.
“The object of the rod was for corrective purposes for the
benefit of the children, to see them growing up with Christian beliefs,
equipped with all the virtues of the belief,” he said.
Chishti also said Poulin’s group should be considered a religious
minority and be given the protection to pursue its beliefs.
However, after hearing all the arguments, Justice David Jenkins
said he didn’t believe Poulin had struck the children for only
corrective purposes.
“The children were subjected to a harsh and stern environment
devoid of most of the natural pleasures and experiences accessible
to young children,” Jenkins said, reading from his written
statement.
“A regime in which, by the very face of their presuméd nature
they were bound to fail and then punished for their non-compliance.”
Jenkins said Poulin’s frequent use of a heavy wooden stick
to punish the children and drive out the demons she claimed lived
inside the children was excessive.
When the verdict was announced Poulin, who was dressed in the same
home-made violet printed dress, matching bonnet and light purple
canvas shoes, wrapped tightly in a white shawl, looked crest-fallen,
as did her followers who sat behind her with the public.
When Poulin first arrived at the courthouse, she entered the building
singing hymns with her supporters.
When she left, she wasn’t singing. She was surrounded by her
followers and kept her head down as they made their way to a waiting
blue van.
Chishti said Poulin took the verdict lightly.
“She’s saying simply that whatever is the will of God,
she will bear it.”
Poulin, who testified in her own defence, is confident in her reasons
for hitting the children with the rod.
“I know I will be with Jesus in glory,” she said. “I
fear no judgment. I am justified by faith.”
Poulin’s sentencing will be handed down on Nov. 7 at 10 a.m.
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