CHILE: CATHOLIC PRIEST SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS IN PRISON FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF 9 CHILDREN.
Record ID:
645951
CHILE: CATHOLIC PRIEST SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS IN PRISON FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF 9 CHILDREN.
- Title: CHILE: CATHOLIC PRIEST SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS IN PRISON FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF 9 CHILDREN.
- Date: 25th June 2003
- Summary: (U7) SANTIAGO, CHILE (JUNE 24, 2003) (REUTERS) GV: COURTROOM MCU: GOVERNMENT ATTORNEY FOR CHILDREN ISABEL RIOS TALKING TO MAN MCU: VICTIMS' ATTORNEY FABIOLA MALDONADO MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) GOVERNMENT ATTORNEY FOR CHILDREN, ISABEL RIOS, SAYING: "In the future, we can change the penalty. We do think it's important the fact that the deeds were rapes. There's proof of that and it's recognized. In the meanwhile, we're going to wait for the appeals court to accept our argument." MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VICTIMS' ATTORNEY FABIOLA MALDONADO, SAYING: "In relation to the indemnity, we think that, independent to the total, the fact that they've accepted the argument that the Archbishop of Santiago had a shared responsibility in the deeds committed by his priest is fairly historic and important for the law." GV: CHURCH IN WHICH ACCUSED PRIEST WOULD SAY MASS GV/CU: FAMILIES LEAVING CHUCRH, CU SIGN (2 SHOTS) GV: STREET SCENES WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES (3 SHOTS) CU: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED MEMBER OF CHURCH, SAYING: "The last thing one would think is that a priest would do something like that! And, more than that, with kids! Because, if it had been with adults, and with their consent, well, that's different. But a child can be deceived easily." MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED MEMBER OF CHURCH, SAYING: "(He seemed) normal, normal, nice. How would I put it? Pleasant and no, never, never would one think nor suspect anything. He was a common, typical person." LAS: PRIEST ANDRES AGUIRRE OVALLE'S CHURCH
- Embargoed: 10th July 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SANTIAGO, CHILE
- Country: Chile
- Topics: Religion
- Reuters ID: LVABFCNJ1M5P2HIE15ARO3EEOGSE
- Story Text: A Catholic priest has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for sexually abusing nine children. The court has also ordered Santiago's Archbishop to pay a fine of some $71,000 (US) for his role in covering up the crime.
For the first time, the head of the Catholic church in Chile on Tuesday (June 24) was held partially responsible for crimes committed by a priest. Meanwhile, the priest, Father Jose Andres Aguirre Ovalle ('Father Tato'), was sentenced to 12 years in prison for raping at least 10 children from 1998 to 2002.
The decision by Judge Rosa Maria Pinto to fine the Archbishop of Santiago 50 million pesos ($71,200 U.S.) was closely watched in Chile. During the course of the investigation, details emerged showing that the Archbishop covered up Aguirre's crimes, transferring him to Spain and later Honduras for three years following the revelation that the priest had impregnated a young woman in 1994.
Forty-five-year-old Aguirre was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the sexual abuse of 10 children who were part of his parish in the city of Quilicura.
Pinto said she had given serious consideration to the sentences.
"It is a sentence that tries to be equitable, in the sense of punishing the person responsible for the crime. It is more grievous, because the person responsible is a priest, or was a priest," said Pinto. "Additionally, it's all more grievous because this priest depended on and was under the tutelage of an institution as important as the Catholic church."
Accusations that Aguirre had abused other children span back at least a decade. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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