Church reports priest to police over abuse

THE Catholic diocese of Rotterdam reported a priest to police yesterday for alleged sexual abuse and suspended him from duty.

This rare step came four days after the Vatican published an online guide for handling sex abuse charges against priests that made clear bishops must report suspected crimes to the police.

The unnamed priest was the fourth cleric to be suspended since the Dutch Church asked an independent commission in March to look into reports of alleged sexual abuse by priests.

The diocese said it had investigated the priest after hearing in July 2009 of abuse and financial fraud he was said to have committed in Sri Lanka.