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The TS corrects itself and orders a repeat trial of a priest with mental problems who stole dozens of religious objects

Estimates medical reports provided by the priest's family, who suffered from schizophrenia and depression.

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The TS corrects itself and orders a repeat trial of a priest with mental problems who stole dozens of religious objects

Estimates medical reports provided by the priest's family, who suffered from schizophrenia and depression

MADRID, 16 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Supreme Court (TS) has partially annulled a sentence for which months before it had sentenced a priest to prison for stealing "dozens" of religious objects, such as chalices, a kneeler, missals or a mantle of the Virgin of Sorrows , in several parishes of Galicia. The magistrates agree that the Provincial Court of Lugo hold the trial again after relatives reported that the priest suffered from mental problems.

The Criminal Chamber, in a sentence to which Europa Press has had access, understands that "psychological ailments are justified" in the priest "at the time of the criminal commission subject to conviction, but also the difficulty derived from that ailment for be critically aware of their behavior and the extent of their illness".

In October 2021, the same Chamber eased the sentence that the Provincial Court had imposed on him by reducing it to two and a half years in prison and lowering the fine to 1,800 euros, since in Lugo he had been sentenced to three and a half years in prison, plus a fine of 2,700 euros, as responsible for a continuing crime of misappropriation.

After that sentence, relatives of the priest provided in his second appeal before the High Court a series of medical reports that would prove the existence of schizophrenic and major depressive disorders in the convicted person when the events occurred, for which the priest would have acted with his faculties affected mental.

As for why he had not submitted those reports before, the defense argued that the convicted person was not aware of his schizophrenic disorder at the time, but was aware of having depression. Thus, he asked the Supreme Court for the partial annulment of his sentence and to return the proceedings to the Audiencia de Lugo for a new trial, now incorporating the priest's complete medical history as evidence. He also requested that a forensic doctor analyze his health status.

The Supreme Court has also partially annulled the judgment of the Court of Lugo, whose account of proven facts took for granted that the priest, born in 1980 and with no criminal record, "seized and incorporated dozens of religious and cult objects into his heritage" with "the spirit of illicit enrichment" since he was appointed pastor of different parishes in the municipalities of Ribadeo and Trabada at the end of 2008 by the bishop of the Diocese of Mondoñedo-Ferrol. The stolen goods were listed in the Lugo Artistic Inventory, as well as those of the Church and the Ministry of Culture.

Many of these objects, explains the Supreme Court, being ecclesiastical assets, are subject to a regime of a special nature recognized by the laws of Historical and Cultural Heritage.

Until he was dismissed at the beginning of 2012, the priest committed the robberies "at undetermined times" and handed over some of those goods to another convicted person, such as a cast iron bell from the 18th century, an image of Saint Francis from the same century and two tabernacles. He exchanged that for two paintings in a carpentry shop, knowing that they were stolen, and he ended up being sentenced to one year and three months in jail.

Over time, the Bishopric of Mondoñedo managed to recover part of what was stolen: two angels, the remains of a chest of drawers, silver chrismeras, bronze candlesticks or various images of saints, "effects all of them voluntarily delivered" by the priest after being dismissed. . But the whereabouts of a mantle of the Virgen de los Dolores embroidered in gold, five old missals, crosses, vases, an 18th century table, a chest of drawers or a bench, among others, are unknown.