Winnipeg pediatrician accused of sexually abusing son split family into factions, prosecutor says

A Crown prosecutor toldcourt Wednesday the Winnipeg pediatrician accused of frequently molesting his son decades ago was a powerful man who divided his children into two factions: those who supported him against the abuse allegations, and those who didn't.

Victor Chernick's son, Richard Chernick, testifiedthat he wassexually assaulted by his father about 100 timesbetween 1975-1979.

"You're in withVictor andyou get all the benefits of being with Victor," Crown attorney Debbie Buors said in her closing arguments Wednesday.

"Themoment you step out of line, you're no longer in with Victor."

Buorssaid Victor's influence goadedhis brother to testify in hissupport.

Other child alleged abuse

She suggested a rift between Victor and Richard formed in the early 1990s, when Richard's sister Sharon made sexual abuse allegations against Victor.

Richard refused to sign his father'sdocument statinghe believed the sexual abuse allegations were false, Buorssaid.

Victor denied the existence of any such document. Criminal charges related to Sharon's allegationswerestayed.

Victor is now on trial in connection with Richard'sallegations of sexual abuse perpetrated byhis father, which Richardsaid happened during hismid- to late-teens.

He recounted at least four instances of sexual abuse in graphic detail, including one case where he says his mother walked in on them.

Identities in the court case can be made publiclybecausethecomplainant made the rare decision to waivehis right to a publication ban.

Victor was arrested in 2013oncharges of incest, indecent assault, buggery and two counts of gross indecency after his son came forward with the accusations.

He has pleaded not guilty and hascategorically denied committing any sexual acts against his son.

He also refutes the allegation he admitted to the abuse years later in therapy, and also at the family's cabin and apologized to his son for it.

At the time of the alleged abuse, Victor was thechief pediatrician at Winnipeg's Children's Hospital and head of the University of Manitoba's department of pediatrics.

The Crown rejected the defence's claim that Richard is simply after his father's money.

Sacrificed to testify

Richardhas already lost relationships with his mother, twosisters and anaunt who took his father's side, and has likely squandered any opportunityto reconcilewith his parents, Buors said.

"Richard's lost much more than he's gained," she toldJustice Joan McKelvey, who is hearing the judge-only trial.

Richard and his sisterSharon also filed a civil lawsuit in 2014accusing their fatherof incest, gross indecency and years where he allegedly"sexually, physically, emotionally and mentally abused, assaulted and traumatized" them.

Thefirst$200,000 that may be awarded in the ongoing civil suitwould be funnelledto the government to pay down Richard's bankruptcy debtfurther evidence Richard isn't motivated by money, Buorsargued.

The defence argued Richard struggles financially and money is clearly a motive.He decided topursue the civillawsuit before launchingcriminal proceedings, and heinitiallytold police in 2013 he wanted to take away everything Victor owned once he was in jail, lawyer Sarah Inness said.

"Thisis about securing a conviction to ensure that the lawsuit is successful and money flows."

The defence questioned why, if Richard's motive is holding his father to account for the alleged abuse, and his mother to account for complicity, he wasn't satisfied by his father's alleged confession.

Innessadded it was worrisome that witness Robin Tyler's recollectionof certain events was clearer in recent years than when she was questioned on Sharon's allegations in the early1990s.

Tyler, who is Victor Chernick's sister, testified that in the early 1980s, Sharon and another family membercame to visit her in San Francisco and told her about the allegations of molestation.

She testified that shelater travelled to Winnipeg for a meeting with the accused and some otherfamily membersto discuss the allegations.

Victor argues that meeting never happened.

Long-lasting effects

Richard told courtlast week he has been tormented by the alleged abuse for decades, twice being hospitalized for two months at a time due to depression.

He spoke to psychologists about the abuse allegations, but did not do so when he was called into a meeting with Child and Family Services because hewasn't comfortable with "coming forward with saying my father was a child molester."

McKelvey will deliver her decision later this year.

With files from Bryce Hoye.