A priest was sentenced on Friday to 18 years’ imprisonment for the rape and sexual assault of several children, notably when he was parish priest in the village of Massiac (Cantal). Philippe Pouzet, 70, was also sentenced to a treatment order, five years’ socio-judicial supervision, a ban on visiting the Cantal region, and a fine. Cantal and a lifetime ban on any activity with minors.

At the end of his trial before the Cantal Assize Court, public prosecutor Paolo Giambiasi called for 15 years’ imprisonment. “for society, and to (…) render justice”. to the victims’ families. The priest was on trial for the sexual assault of four children from the same family and the rape of one of them around 2017, as well as for the sexual assault of a teenager in 1994, now aged 44.

This large family of seven children, isolated in the city, was the target of the man who, Massiac parish priest from 2011 to 2017In the course of the hearing, Philippe Pouzet admitted to dozens of sexual assaults and the rape of a 14-year-old teenager. During the hearing, Philippe Pouzet admitted to dozens of sexual assaults and the rape of a 14-year-old teenager, while insisting that the children were either the initiators or the perpetrators. “in search of themselves”.. “It does not recognize victims’ status”said Jean-François Canis, the families’ lawyer. “I’m overwhelmed by all the pain that has come to the surface. I’m the only one responsible”.the accused finally declared before the court recessed.

Church failure?

In his closing arguments, his lawyer Frédéric Franck asked jurors to disregard his client’s difficulty in explaining his actions. “The facts are instinctive, that’s why he can’t go any further to explain them. […] Don’t blame him for that. He did it, he committed it, he can’t explain it.”he argued, arguing against the 15-year sentence. “It’s a reinstatement of the death penalty. Take a rope and hang him in the Square, it’ll be quicker”.he said. In all, ten victims were heard, and a fifth child in the family claimed to have been raped.

The investigation showed that the Church, aware of the parish priest’s shortcomings, had not taken any action. interrupted his career In particular, she noted “affective problemsproblems “moments of abandonment which had led to “incidents”. In 1984 in Sommières (Gard), then a boarding school teacher, he was tried for “indecent assaultafter sexually assaulting two children. “We reread the story knowing what happened.”Bruno Grua, former bishop of Saint-Flour, added: “Of course, from time to time, I tell myself I should have been more vigilant.” An investigating director who came to testify estimated that around ten priests knew about it: “I don’t know why he wasn’t removed from his priesthood.”