American ex-priest in East Timor found guilty of sex abuse

OECUSSE, East Timor (AP) — A defrocked American clergyman accused of sexually abusing orphaned and disadvantaged young girls nether his attraction successful East Timor was recovered blameworthy Tuesday and sentenced to 12 years successful prison, successful the archetypal lawsuit of its benignant successful the staunchly Catholic nation.

Richard Daschbach, 84, who spent decades arsenic a missionary successful the country’s distant enclave of Oecusse, faced charges of kid intersexual maltreatment arsenic good arsenic kid pornography and home violence.

The proceedings began successful February but was postponed respective times earlier concluding past month. During the proceedings, victims complained astir threats and online attacks. Daschbach maintains beardown backing from some, including erstwhile President Xanana Gusmao, who went to the tribunal connected Tuesday. East Timor is the astir Catholic spot extracurricular the Vatican and Daschbach is revered for his relation during the tiny Southeast Asian nation’s combat for independence.

The religion and overseas donors who erstwhile supported the structure said Daschbach confessed to the abuse, but the erstwhile clergyman and his lawyers person astatine assorted times refused to comment. They did not marque their ineligible strategy nationalist and tribunal proceedings were closed.

Daschbach, the lad of a Pittsburgh steelworker, was ordained successful 1964 by the Society of the Divine Word astatine its office extracurricular of Chicago. He arrived successful the state present known arsenic East Timor respective years later, mounting up a structure successful the 1990s named Topu Honis, which means “Guide to Life.”

Hundreds of children passed done the structure nether Daschbach’s care. More than a twelve females came guardant with maltreatment claims, but lone 9 were registered successful the lawsuit owed to ineligible technicalities. The Associated Press spoke with 5 of the accusers.

They recalled their experiences successful vivid detail, saying Daschbach kept a database of young girls connected his chamber doorway and that each nighttime 1 of those girls would beryllium connected his lap, surrounded by a ringing of children and unit members praying and singing hymns earlier bed.

They said the miss connected his thigh would past slumber with him that nighttime and that assorted types of maltreatment – from oral enactment to rape – would occur, sometimes involving different children too. The accusers person not been identified due to the fact that of fears of retribution.

Daschbach’s lawyer Julio Farma said they are disappointed with the court’s verdict and program to entreaty the determination issued by the 3 judges.

“Evidence provided by the structure matron and erstwhile students who lived successful the orphanage were ignored by the court,” Farma told reporters, adding that immoderate accusers changed their statements made earlier to authorities successful Oecusse erstwhile they were examined successful the capital, Dili, and the caller statements became the sole ground for the judges’ decision.

“We cannot judge this and volition appeal,” Farma said.

Dozens of Daschbach’s supporters, including respective children brought by Gusmao from Dili, wept and immoderate were screaming arsenic it became wide the tribunal would nonstop the ex-priest to jail.

In a connection Tuesday, JU,S Jurídico Social, a radical of quality rights lawyers representing the accusers, applauded the verdict but said it would appeal, arguing that the condemnation should beryllium harsher. Under the law, Daschbach faced much than doubly the situation clip helium received.

“The past written contiguous is simply a bitter past for the full nation,” the radical said. “Our children were subjected to horrendous crimes for specified a agelong clip due to the fact that we, arsenic a society, were blinded by the content that a fig arsenic the suspect successful this lawsuit would not perpetrate specified crimes against children.”

Separately, a U.S. national expansive assemblage successful Washington, D.C. indicted Daschbach successful August. He faces 7 counts of engaging successful illicit intersexual behaviour astatine the shelter. If convicted successful the U.S., Daschbach could person up to 30 years successful situation for each count, but the Department of Justice has not said whether it plans to effort to extradite the ex-priest.

Daschbach besides is wanted successful the U.S. for 3 counts of ligament fraud linked to 1 of his California-based donors, which accused him successful a tribunal lawsuit of violating an statement to support those nether his care. An Interpol “Red Notice” has been issued internationally for Daschbach’s arrest.