French Catholic Church urges probe into charity icon's alleged sexual abuse

PARIS: France's Catholic Church on Friday said that it had asked prosecutors to investigate a raft of sexual abuse accusations against a charity icon who was showered with accolades during his lifetime.

Born Henri Groues, French clergyman Abbe Pierre left behind a legacy as a friend to the poverty-stricken and homeless when he died aged 94 in 2007.

But in recent months, multiple allegations that he committed sexual abuse have shattered his saintly image and left the two charities he founded desperately trying to dissociate themselves from him.

Following fresh allegations of sexual abuse this week, the head of the Bishops' Conference of France (CEF) Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, speaking to broadcaster RMC, said that he had "referred the matter to courts" this week.

He said he had requested that the Paris public prosecutor "consider opening an investigation into Abbe Pierre".

In a statement, the CEF said that the reason for referring the matter to the courts was to prosecute those guilty of a "failure to denounce rape and sexual assault of vulnerable people and minors".

The aim of the probe would also be to establish if there were "other possible victims or accomplices", said de Moulins-Beaufort.

He said that the public prosecutor's office has more resources than a commission of enquiry that was set up by Emmaus - one of the two charities he founded - to investigate the accusations.

We must "get to the bottom of the truth," said the head of the CEF, expressing his "horror" following new revelations published by specialist firm Egae this week.

After a first battery of allegations shocked the nation in July, the Abbe Pierre Foundation and Emmaus hired specialist consultancy Egae to gather further testimony about their founder.

According to a report published in September, 17 more people have made accusations of sexual violence against the French monk.

According to a new report published on Monday, the priest is the target of more accusations of sexual violence, including a "sexual act" involving a boy.

The latest accusations have brought to 33 the total number of testimonies against Abbe Pierre.

"Taken all together, this paints the picture of a predator," Tarek Daher of Emmaus France said on Monday.

However, legal action is likely to come up against a number of obstacles, given that evidence of abuse dates from the 1950s into the 2000s.

Until last July, Groues remained a familiar sight on charity shop posters and in metro stations urging French people to think of the poor.

After the explosive revelations, French officials across the country have sought to cleanse streets, schools and parks of his name.