The Alicante Provincial Court sentenced the former parish priest of Biar (Alicante) to one year and six months in prison for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl.
The defendant accepted responsibility at the start of the hearing on September 11th, after striking an agreement with the Prosecutor’s Office.
In that arrangement, he accepted responsibility and paid €3,000 in advance as a civil obligation to cover any prospective compensation.
Patron saint celebrations
The incident occurred on January 20th, 2024, during the celebrations for Saint Anthony the Abbot of Biar. According to the punishment, the defendant, a priest at Our Lady of the Assumption parish, inappropriately touched the minor.
First, he took her hand and placed it on his genitals, which he repeated despite her objections. He also touched her lower abdomen through her clothing.
Previous Statements
The court noted that the priest admitted to these activities months earlier, on June 24th, 2024, in a statement made before a judicial vicar of the Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante, as part of the canonical investigation that began prior to the criminal proceedings.
Compensation
According to the verdict, the incident caused significant emotional distress for both the young woman and her family.
As a result, the convicted individual is sentenced to pay €6,000 in compensation for moral damages. Because he had already deposited €3,000, he had pay the remaining balance in two instalments of €1,500 each.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a restraining order that prohibits the former priest from coming within 300 metres of the victim for three years.
Author: Derek Appleton
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