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  Catholic Church Abuse Case: Dutch Cardinal Adrianus Simonis Testifies in Court

By Elena Grothe
The Photoblog
January 25, 2011

http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/01/25/5913821-catholic-church-abuse-case-dutch-cardinal-adrianus-simonis-testifies-in-court

Dutch top cleric Cardinal Adrianus Simonis, is seen inside a car leaving the district court via the backdoor, in Middelburg, Netherlands, Tuesday Jan. 25, 2011, after testifying in an investigation into the sexual abuse of a man by a Catholic priest. Simonis has testified he had no role in the appointment or dismissal of a Catholic priest accused of drugging and raping a young man. The brief appearance by the 79-year-old retired archbishop of Utrecht's at Middelburg District Court marks the first time such a senior cleric has appeared in a Dutch courtroom to answer questions about abuse in the church.

MIDDELBURG, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch Cardinal Adrianus Simonis has testified he had no role in the appointment or dismissal of a Catholic priest accused of drugging and raping a young man.

The brief appearance by the 79-year-old retired archbishop of Utrecht's at Middelburg District Court marks the first time such a senior cleric has appeared in a Dutch courtroom to answer questions about abuse in the church.

The victim, Dave ten Hoor, says he was drugged and raped twice by the priest, identified only as Father Jan N., in 1989 and 1990, Ten Hoor's lawyer Martin de Witte told The Associated Press.

 
 

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