Priest sentenced 6 years for sexual abuse

Kerkhoff, 56, was sentenced by the Krefeld district court on Friday.

 

He was found guilty of eight cases of sexual abuse of children under his protection, 13 cases of sexual abuse of children and four cases of severe sexual abuse of children, the newspaper reported.

 

The 56-year-old reportedly committed the crimes in Krefeld and Nettetal, Germany, from 2001 to 2006.

 

The Saturday Star reported in January that Kerkhoff used alcohol, drugs, sex toys and a parish sauna while molesting boys in Germany. When the allegations surfaced, the Catholic diocese in Germany sent him to South Africa, where he was later accused of abusing five children at a First Communion camp in Brits, in 2008.

 

Last year, the case against Kerkhoff in Brits, North West, was withdrawn on condition that Interpol extradite him to Germany.