Child-sex Trial for Ex-vatican Ambassador

Sky News
June 15, 2015

http://news.sky.com/story/1502468/child-sex-trial-for-ex-vatican-ambassador

The former ambassador to the Dominican Republic is accused of child abuse

The Vatican's former ambassador to the Dominican Republic is to stand trial for child sexual abuse.

Jozef Wesolowski was arrested and defrocked by the Roman Catholic Church last year, after allegations emerged that he had been paying young Dominican boys for sex.

The former archbishop is also accused of keeping child abuse material on his computer.

In a statement, the Vatican said its prosecutor had cooperated with authorities from the Dominican Republic as part of its investigation.

"These serious allegations will be scrutinised by the competent judicial body which will be assisted by both technical appraisals of the IT systems used by the defendant and, if necessary, international legal cooperation for the evaluation of testimonial evidence from the competent authorities in Santo Domingo," the statement said.

"This will be a delicate and detailed procedure, requiring the most careful observations and insights from all parties involved in the trial."

Dominican prosecutors say they have identified at least four boys who were allegedly abused by Wesolowski during his time as papal ambassador from 2008 to 2013, but they have been unable to secure his extradition to stand trial there.

Instead, he will be tried in a Vatican court next month.

If he is found guilty, the former diplomat could face up to 12 years in jail.