Victims confirm child sex abuse by German priest

Jul 18, 2011, 16:37 GMT

Salzgitter, Germany - Two boys confirmed Monday that a German priest had abused them over a period of several years, after the cleric was arrested by police at the weekend and admitted to the crimes.

The 46-year-old priest, who was arrested Saturday, initially admitted only to having sexually abused a 10-year-old boy in 2004, but later told police of the two other victims.

Police in the northern town of Braunschweig spoke of a 'multitude of regular cases.' The priest, from the diocese of Hildesheim, has been temporarily suspended from his duties.

Police are investigating whether more cases of abuse took place, prosecutors said. The priest's computer and documents were seized on Friday, but investigators did not confirm whether they found pornographic material containing images of children.

A family had complained in 2006 that the priest sought out the company of children. They renewed their complaint last year, during a string of revelations of sexual abuse by clergy members, but prosecutors found no evidence of wrongdoing.

Last year's countrywide abuse scandal led to a 28-per-cent drop in church membership within the Hildesheim diocese.

'It will take years and decades to win back the trust of the people,' said bishop Heinz-Guenter Bongartz.