Court confirms jail sentences for child abuse priests

Two former priests were imprisoned today after an Appeal Court confirmed their conviction of child sexual abuse. Godwin Scerri and Charles Pulis, formerly members of the Missionary Society of St Paul, were sentenced in August last year to five and six years imprisonment respectively for sexually abusing boys in their care at St Joseph Home in Sta Venera. They were free pending the appeal. The prison terms were confirmed this morning in an judgment delivered by Mr Justice David Scicluna before a packed hall. In his sentence, Mr Justice Scicluna found that as regards the charges against Charles Pulis, the charges filed by one of the victims were time-barred. The other accused, Godwin Scerri was found not guilty of abusing one of the boys. However sentence was not changed. The original sentence was delivered by Magistrate Saviour Demicoli in a judgement of over 100 pages. The cases happened some 20 years ago and th cases first came to public attention in September 2003. The victims are seeking monetary compensation from the Church. Lawrence Grech, once of the victims, said on TVAM this morning that the Church was 'an enemy' which had cut off all contacts when the court case was...