French priest admits ‘caresses’

LYON: Accused of sexually abusing dozens of boy scouts in the 1970s and 80s, a French Catholic priest confessed in court on Tuesday to “caresses” he knew were forbidden, and said for 20 years “it happened every weekend”.

At scout camps, “it could be four or five children a week,” Bernard Preynat, 74, told a court in Lyon on the first day of his trial for preying on boys. “For me, at the time, I was not committing sexual assault but giving caresses, hugs. I was wrong.”

Preynat’s voice quavered as he admitted the interactions “did bring me sexual pleasure.” But while he knew the actions were forbidden, he said he only finally understood that they were illegal thanks to “the accusations of the victims”.