Luigi Ventura, in 2010. – REMY GABALDA
He’s the goal of complaints from 4 males, a minimum of three of whom accuse him of sexual touching. Former Vatican ambassador to France, Bishop Luigi Ventura, will seem earlier than the Paris Felony Court docket on November 10 for “sexual assault”, corroborating sources reported on Thursday. Info which confirms that reported a little bit earlier by Europe 1.
The 75-year-old Italian bishop, who denies the details, will be prosecuted as a result of his diplomatic immunity was lifted by the Vatican in July 2019. “He will be present at the hearing,” says his lawyer, Me Bertrand Ollivier. He was ready for this listening to to defend his honor and his innocence, ”he added, stressing that his shopper had“ spontaneously participated in the investigation and accepted the hearing and the confrontation ”. For Me Jade Dousselin, who defends one of many plaintiffs, “it’s a victory. […] The prosecution validates what we said from the start, and reassures the victims in their approach to denounce and in the fact that impunity could not last ”.
From the “hands to the buttocks” talked about
The case erupted in February 2019 with the revelation of the opening of an investigation by the Paris prosecutor’s workplace, within the context of a number of intercourse scandals affecting the Catholic Church. The mayor of Paris had reported {that a} younger municipal govt had complained of repeated touching of the apostolic nuncio – from the “hands to the buttocks” – throughout a ceremony of the vows to the diplomatic authorities in January on the city corridor.
Two different complainants then got here ahead and associated related details that occurred in 2018. These three males had been heard by investigators. A fourth criticism was filed by one other man. In Could 2019, Bishop Ventura went to confrontations with a number of of those complainants.
A profession as a diplomat
A profession diplomat from the Vatican, Bishop Ventura had held the submit of apostolic nuncio since 2009 in Paris. As such, he was in command of the Holy See’s relations with the French authorities on the one hand, and with the bishops of France on the opposite.
In December, the apostolic nunciature introduced that Pope Francis had accepted his resignation for “age limit”.