News by email Donate

Suggestions

Top Stories

Most Read

Popular Videos

dark-sky-cross-abuse-main_article_image.jpg
REX/Image Broker
World News

Priest arrested after 11-year-old records herself being abused

by Tola Mbakwe

According to The Times, the girl, who cannot be named, resorted to recording the incident after adults in the church refused to believe her reports of being abused by Fr Michele Mottola in Trentola Ducenta, near Naples.

In one recording, the man is heard saying "Do you want a kiss?"

After the girl refuses, he apparently says: "There is no one here. Are you afraid? Kiss me, hug me."

The Times reports in a second recording, after the sound of heavy breathing and the girl rejecting the priest, he says: "Take this to dry yourself."

It's been reported the girl was too afraid to tell her mother about the incident because she was friends with Fr Michele and he would give her and her daughter gifts.

Instead, she played the recording for two parishioners who didn't do anything about it, and then begged the priest to stop the abuse.

Fr Michele asked if she had told anyone and when she said she did, he reportedly told her mother that she was a liar and told the girl: "You are like an Islamist bomber. You kill people and move on."

Eventually the girl's mother believed her daughter's claims and confronted the priest who reportedly confessed.

The Catholic Church suspended Fr Michele in May but he was only arrested when the girl's recordings were aired on a current affairs show called Le Iene.

The girl has been hailed a hero.

Her older sister said: "She was not afraid and did everything she could because she couldn't take it any longer."

Stay up to date with the latest news stories from a Christian perspective. Sign up to our daily newsletter and receive more stories like this straight to your inbox every morning.

A Monthly Gift Of $11 Makes A World Of Difference

In a world of fake news there’s never been a greater need for quality Christian journalism. Premier’s mission is to provide the Church with the most up to date and relevant news, told from a Christian perspective. But we can’t do it without you.

Unlike many websites we haven't put up a paywall — we want to keep our journalism free at the point of need and as open as we can. Premier’s news output takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. No one in the USA is sharing news like we are across radio, magazines and online so please help us to continue that today.

For a monthly gift of $11 or more we’d also be able to send you a free copy of the brand new Premier Bible, a wonderful Anglicised version of the NLT packed with exclusive bonus content, reading plan and resources to help you get the most out of scripture.

Your monthly support will make a world of difference. Thank you.

Support Us
Continue the conversation on our Facebook page

Related Articles

Sign up to our newsletter to stay informed with news from a Christian perspective.

News by email

Connect

Donate

Donate