Catholic priest in Germany sentenced to 4 years for child abuse

BERLIN

A Catholic priest in Germany was sentenced to four years in prison on Monday for sexual contact with minors via the internet.

The Fulda regional court found the 43-year-old priest guilty of engaging in sexual online chats with minors between September 2021 and July 2022.

The priest was accused of contacting children and adolescents on a chat platform, showing them child pornographic videos and encouraging them to undress and perform sexual acts on webcam.

Frankfurt Public Prosecutor’s Office welcomed the ruling, saying it sends a clear message to perpetrators, especially those who exploit online platforms for abuse.

"The ruling shows that the sexual abuse of children on the internet is not acceptable. Even if it occurs exclusively via the Internet without direct physical contact,” said Benjamin Krause, the senior public prosecutor.

The defendant's lawyer, Axel Dohmann, announced that they are going to appeal the verdict, citing legal and procedural errors by the court.

The case came to light following a tip from the US-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which detected suspicious chat activities. German investigators subsequently searched the priest's residence and office in Kalbach in July 2022, seizing electronic storage devices containing incriminating material.