Ex-pastor from Traunstein for children's pornography in prison!

Ex-pastor from Traunstein for children's pornography in prison!

A former pastor from the Berchtesgadener Land now has to go behind bars for almost two years. The 77-year-old was convicted of his repeated offenses in connection with child pornography and finally admitted his pedophilia under strong pressure. This description is no coincidence, because the case throws a shadow on the Evangelical Church and provides great public attention.

The accused, who worked as a pastor from 1990 to 2005, had already received a conviction by a district court in 2016, at the time with a suspended sentence. But in the current trial before the Traunstein district court, it became clear that he once again committed serious offenses: the possession of 457 pictures that often showed explicit and brutal content with young boys is only the tip of the iceberg. "There are no circumstances that justify a probation," said judge Thomas Mayer.

a long way to insight

Truly, the accused's path for insight was difficult. While excuses about depression and personal blows of fate had played a role before, he now admitted that he was drawn sexually to young boys. Prosecutor Sabine Krotky, who tried to create a credible remorse, was obviously dissatisfied with the accused's constant explanations. "It is difficult to hear an unadorned picture of them," she noted, making it clear that it was high time to understand the true motivation behind these deeds.

"It shouldn't have happened to me again," said the ex-pastor in a moment of weakness, but where is the responsibility here? Judge Mayer emphasized that the accused knew exactly what he was doing - and was already a criminal record. The hope of mild punishment on the part of the defense, which demanded a suspended sentence, was mercilessly smashed. The judge clearly pointed out that the accused was completely in the picture of his actions and their severity.

shocking revelations about the family environment

At the negotiation, it was also taken into account that the accused had grandchildren. "His family environment knows about the deeds. And he is not alone with the grandchildren," said the defender. These information underlined the urgency with which this problem must be addressed.

The accused's lawyer, Hans-Jörg Schwarzer, pointed out that his client voluntarily dispensed with all church offices and pension claims. This decision signals that even the interdependencies with the church are no longer portable for the former clergyman. In addition, he has already gone in therapy and thus shows a step towards change, although this cannot be undone by the past deeds.

The process for the former pastor is an urgent indication of how serious and complex the problems within the church institution are, especially when it comes to sexual violence against children. The reputation of the church has suffered enormously through such acts, and it remains to be seen which consequences are followed. The state and church disciplinary proceedings will continue to employ the public and may lead to further revelations.