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	Pastor Charged after Sexual Relations A Former Pastor in Oddernes, Kristiansand in Southern Norway Has Now Been Charged with Abusing His Position to Acquire Sex with a Young Woman Aftenposten [Norway] July 1, 2006 http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1373737.ece The 62-year-old former pastor was summoned for questioning on Thursday and afterwards was officially charged in the case. "I was told that this is purely a formal charge. The police wanted to examine my computer and must file charges to be able to do this," the ex-pastor told news agency NTB. The 62-year-old said he did not view the latest development as dramatic, and that he had not contacted an attorney. "I have already put all my cards on the table," he said. Police captain Magne Storaker of the Vest-Agder police said that the woman involved had yet to give a statement and also had no desire to release the former pastor from his pledge of confidentiality. The pastor resigned his position a week ago. "I do not acknowledge legal guilt for this but I realized that the ethical complications were too great for me to continue in my position," the former pastor said. The encounter with the young woman began with 'spiritual comfort' and developed into a sexual relationship. The 62-year-old is charged with violating paragraph 193 of the penal code - "obtaining sex through the abuse of his position, a relationship of dependency or a relationship of confidence". The violation carries a potential penalty of five years in prison, and the pastor has already forfeited all possibility of holding a position in the Norwegian Church.
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