Sex assault charges Vatican envoy speaks to police

PARIS: The Vatican’s envoy to Paris has been heard by French police "at his request" over sex assault allegations, judicial sources said on Thursday.

Nuncio Luigi Ventura spoke to police at the start of April, they said. Ventura is being investigated for allegedly molesting officials at the Paris mayor’s office. The 74-year-old is accused of allegedly assaulting a man at the town hall in Paris on January 17 when Mayor Anne Hidalgo gave a New Year’s address to diplomats, religious leaders and civil society figures.

A similar complaint has been filed by a former Paris city employee for an incident that allegedly took place a year ago, according to city hall officials. His immunity has not been lifted, according to the prosecutor’s office in Paris. The Italian-born Ventura is also being investigated for alleged sexual assault in Canada where he served as the Vatican envoy from 2001 to 2009.