Notorious Malaga priest Father Fran sentenced to 52 years in prison for sexually assaulting sedated women

Crime

The Diocese of Malaga will be liable for the financial compensation of over 400,000 euros

Irene Quirante

The provincial court of Malaga has sentenced Father Fran from Vélez-Málaga to 52 years in prison for three counts of continuous sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse and four counts of disclosing and revealing secrets.

According to the ruling, the Diocese of Malaga will be subsidiarily liable for the financial compensation, which totals over 400,000 euros.

The court has concluded that the defendant sexually assaulted the four victims after administering an unknown substance that sedated them. He also recorded the assaults.

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• Sexual abuse

  • According to the ruling, Father Fran committed the acts "during trips or events in which not only did he not conceal his status as a priest", but also took advantage of it.

    Prior to contacting the authorities, the defendant's ex-girlfriend had reported him "to a priest who served alongside the defendant and to the vicar".

    To establish the Church's subsidiary liability, the court reasoned that the defendant had been a deacon since 2016 and a priest since 2017, serving as parish priest in a church under the diocese's jurisdiction. It also noted that the events occurred in the residences assigned to him.

    "This is not an isolated incident that could go unnoticed by those who have the obligation to oversee and select those who will carry out pastoral work," the court stated.

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