Former US priest jailed for child sexual abuse in East Timor Sexual Assault News

An East Timorese court has jailed an imprisoned U.S. priest for 12 years on charges of committing several orphaned and sexually abused girls under his charge.

Richard Daschbach’s verdict was on Tuesday.

The case This is the first time a priest has been tried in a strong Catholic country for allegations of sexual abuse by a priest against an 84-year-old man.

Daschbach, who set up a shelter for orphans and vulnerable children in the early 1990s, was charged with 14 counts of sexual abuse of children under the age of 14, as well as one count of child pornography and domestic violence.

The trial began in February in the Oecusse district, 200 km (125 miles) west of the capital Dili, near its Topu Honis shelter. The court proceedings were closed to the public, and the trial was postponed several times before the end of last month.

Responding to Tuesday’s verdict, Daschbach’s lawyer, Miguel Faria, said he did not accept the sentence and would coordinate with the defendant and his family to prepare the appeal.

Faria said the verdict was based on the testimony of four victims but did not take into account the testimony of other witnesses.

Lawyers representing the victims of the JU, S Juridico Social group have applauded the verdict, but said they will also appeal.

In a statement, the group said that given the seriousness of the crimes, Daschbach should receive a maximum sentence of 30 years.

“The history written today is the bitter history of the entire nation,” the group said. “Our children have been subjected to horrific crimes for so long that we, as a society, were blinded by the belief that a person like the accused in this case would not commit a crime against children.”

The Vatican removed the Pittsburgh-born priest in November 2018, but Daschbach maintains strong protection In the meantime, former President Xanana Gusmao went to court on Tuesday.

East Timor is generally the strongest Catholic place outside the Vatican, and Daschbach is hailed for his support of the Southeast Asian nation in Indonesia’s campaign for independence.

The church, which once housed the shelter, and foreign donors have said Daschbach confessed to the abuse, but the former priest and his lawyers have repeatedly declined to comment. During the proceedings, the victims reported threats and network attacks.

Jessica Washington of Al Jazeera said the case has divided East Timor.

“East Timor is a very religious country, with about 98 percent of the population identified as Catholics. The church has played an important role in the history of this young country. For many in Timor-Leste, it was a difficult time for many, and as a result, many people still feel uncomfortable with anything that discredits the Catholic Church’s organization, “Washington said.

“In Richard Daschbach, not only the priest, we have a figure who was influential in this. Not only within the country, but also with international donors, who saw the work he was doing as the director of this orphanage and other shelters he had set up, and they thought he was doing an amazing job for the local Timorese. ”

Tuesday’s sentencing was “very significant,” according to Washington, adding that the guilty verdict could “become a catalyst for more cases for more victims of sexual abuse.”

Daschbach also holds positions in the United States.

A federal jury in Washington, DC, indicted Daschbach in August on charges of seven counts of unlawful sexual conduct in a foreign place.

If tried in the U.S., Daschbach could face up to 30 years in prison for each case, but the Justice Department has not said whether he intends to try to extradite the former priest.

Daschbach is also being sought in the U.S. for three counts of fraud related to one of his donors in California, in which he was accused of violating an agreement to protect those under his care in court. Interpol’s “red note” for Daschbach’s arrest has been issued internationally.