Couple sentenced, fined for falsely accusing priest

Monday, March 4th, 2019

A French couple were given three month suspended sentences and 500 euro fines for falsely accusing a priest of sexual abuse.

In addition, they have to post the court’s verdict on the public noticeboard at the town hall of Baye, the small village in the Marne region where the priest they accused had lived until their accusations forced him into “exile”.

The court in Châlons-en-Champagne found Jean-Louis Martin, 70, and his wife Marie-Jeanne, 74, falsely accused Father François-Jérôme Leroy, 72, of abusing male minors.

The couple failed to exercise judgment and show the humility necessary to achieve truth and justice, the Châlons prosecutor said.

The couple made their initial accusations about Leroy in a letter entitled “Report of interference with minors”. They sent the letter to the prosecutor, Eric Virbel.

The Martins claimed they had been hearing rumors about Leroy for two years.

Virbel immediately launched an investigation. Twenty witnesses were interviewed. Nothing incriminating about Leroy was found. Then the alleged victim testified that he was never abused.

During the investigation several of the witnesses said the couple had concocted the story.

One said they thought the Martins’ letter “was just a way to get rid of Father Leroy with whom they were in conflict [about a property he managed that they were renting]”.

When Leroy lodged a complaint against the Martins for making a false report, Virbel decided to pursue the issue.

His aim was to restore Leroy’s reputation and to discourage other fake victims from attempting to discredit others.

Source