Three summers ago, the bishop José Manuel Lorca Planes filed a complaint with the District Attorney of Murcia alleging sexual abuse of a minor by priest Antonio L. Z. The priest served at San Juan Bautista de Yecla and acted as chaplain at Virgen del Castillo Hospital. According to a press release from the Diocese of Cartagena, Lorca Planes subsequently joined with Pope Francis in dismissing the priest under a policy of zero tolerance for such conduct.
Recently, a sentence was handed down, and the bishop issued a further statement. The provisional ruling from the Fifth Chamber of the County Court of Murcia found the priest of the Cartagena Diocese guilty, sentencing him to seven years and nine months in prison and a 30,000 euro payment, while establishing that there is no civil liability for the sexual abuse of a minor. The Diocese, while the case remains under appeal, reiterated its firm rejection of the crimes attributed to the priest and emphasized the aggravating factor of involvement with a minor.
Additionally, the Diocese reaffirmed its solidarity with the victim and their family, noting ongoing support through the Episcopal Delegation for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults. The Church also stated that, in accordance with ecclesiastical law, the priest remains suspended from priestly duties until the canonical penal process concludes.
The priest, a native of Monteagudo in Murcia, has a history of movement between parishes. He served in San Pedro del Pinatar and, in 2013, was dismissed from the roles of Parochial Regent in the San Pedro Apóstol and Nuestra Señora del Rosario districts. He later moved to El Mirador in San Javier and was ordained as parish priest in San Juan Bautista de Yecla, the place from which complaints emerged, according to records.
Local media outlets, including La Opinion de Murcia and other publications within the same group, reported in February of this year that the priest faced two separate complaints of sexual abuse and one related sexual assault. In the first set of allegations, the victims described inappropriate touching by the priest. Prosecutors sought different sentences in the two cases, with penalties ranging from five years in one case to four and six years in the other, reflecting the likelihood of ongoing inappropriate conduct with multiple children with whom the priest had some form of relationship. For the sexual assault claim, including attempted penetration of a minor, prosecutors requested a twelve-year term in prison.
In light of these allegations, the Diocese has consistently restricted the priest from engaging in any religious activities during the ongoing investigations and trials. Defendants are required to reside within a defined area to remain accessible to judicial proceedings as the case unfolds.