-1.jpg)
Because a Catholic bishop in Poland is not supposed to have immediately reported sexual violence against children, the public prosecutor's office is demanding a probation and a fine for him.
She applied for ten months imprisonment on Thursday, according to local media outside the Tarnow District Court for the bishop of the southern Polish city, Andrzej Yez, who will be suspended for three years on probation.
In addition, he should pay the equivalent of almost 4,600 euros. The clergyman's defense lawyers, on the other hand, pleaded guilty to acquittal.
Jez is the first Polish bishop to be tried for such an accusation. He is alleged not to have informed the authorities immediately of credible allegations of child abuse against two priests of his diocese.
The 63-year-old clergyman dismissed this months ago and declared himself innocent. His lawyer said in his closing plea that Jez had reported both priests once he learned that the victims may have been younger than 15.
'No mitigating circumstances'
The prosecutor, however, stressed, according to media reports: "There are no reasons that could justify the concealment of pedophilia." He also did not see any mitigating circumstances for the bishop, for he did not confess his mistake.
Anyone who receives credible information in Poland about serious crimes such as child sexual abuse must immediately notify police or public prosecutor's office; otherwise, up to three years in prison threaten.
In the case of sexually motivated violent offences against children under the age of 15, the reporting obligation has existed since 2017. Excluded from her are the victims of these crimes.
One of the two abuse priests has since been released from the cleric stand by the church. According to press reports, he is alleged to have sexually abused 77 children.
Because of statute of limitations, however, there was no criminal case against him. The church also sanctioned the other priest.