A former employee of the Augsburg Cathedral Boys’ Choir has admitted in court to secretly taking nude photos of members of the choir. The 26-year-old used to be an assistant at the nationally known Catholic boys’ choir and, according to the indictment, is said to have filmed children and young people in showers and toilets nine times. He is also said to have sexually abused a 13-year-old by rubbing himself against the sleeping child’s body. The child was staying overnight at the choir employee’s home at the time.
The defendant admitted all charges without reservation on Thursday in the trial before the Augsburg District Court. He also apologized to the cathedral choirboys who were present in the courtroom as listeners. At the beginning of the trial, the judge, the prosecutor and the defense attorney had previously agreed behind closed doors that if the man confessed, he could expect a suspended prison sentence of almost two years.
Since the accused was not yet 21 years old when some of the crimes were committed, juvenile criminal law is to be applied to him. The crimes in question took place between 2017 and 2020, and since then the man, who then moved to Dresden, has no longer worked for the choir.