Citing the statute of limitations, the police have dropped most sex abuse cases against the Catholic Church.Out of a total of 31 cases reported, the police will only continue to investigate five reports of sexual misconduct against Catholic priests in Denmark.
Of the other 26 cases most of the suspects cannot be prosecuted because the incidents occurred too long ago, or because the suspect has already died.
Chief Superintendent Svein Foldager said the police would have initiated an investigation in 21 of the abandoned cases if they had been reported earlier.However, police sources refused to disclose whether they believed they would have uncovered sufficient evidence to prosecute suspects in the abandoned cases.
The remaining five cases, which will be investigated by officers in the South Zealand and Lolland
Falster police districts, all involve sexual misconduct rather than full sexual intercourse.
A police spokesman said these cases may also be too old to prosecute. Under Danish law, such cases are usually dropped ten years after they have occurred.
In addition to the police investigations, the Catholic Church has set up its own independent legal review of sex abuse cases in Denmark.
The independent review, which will be carried out by defence lawyer Lars Kjeldsen, will investigate cases stretching back to 1890 and up to the present day.
SIC: TCPO