Vatican 'jails' prelate for alleged abuse

VATICAN CITY– The former papal ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Jozef Wesolowski, was placed under house arrest within the Vatican on Tuesday, church officials announced.

The Pole, 66, was defrocked in June by a Vatican tribunal which found him guilty of child abuse. The accused has been detained this week as he awaits trial, spokesman Father Frederico Lombardi explained, to prevent “the possibility that the accused would flee and possible evidence tampering.” The trial is expected to begin either late this year or early into the next. Meanwhile the former bishop is under house arrest in a Vatican facility rather than prison due to ill health.

The alleged offences took place during Wesolowski’s residence in Santo Domingo, where the accused allegedly abused at least seven minors and was found to have child pornography in his possession. He was recalled from his post by the Vatican in Aug 2013.

 The criminal case has come as a shock in the Vatican as it is apparently without precedent for a bishop. This falls in line with Pope Francis’ “zero tolerance” policy on child abuse within the church. However the former bishop will not be tried under the more stringent anti-abuse laws which came into effect Sept. 1, as the case was brought to the Vatican tribunal before that time. Under the former laws, Lombardi announced, the charges brought could result in a sentence of six-seven years in prison.

As well as Wesolowski, three other bishops are currently under investigation for child abuse offences, signalling that this could be the first of many criminal cases brought. Pope Francis has pledged to deal with such cases robustly, saying “in this issue they are not God’s children, there will be no special treatment.”