The late financier Jeffrey Epstein invoked his constitutional right against incriminating himself about 600 times in testimony for a lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual abuse.

Epstein’s refusal to answer questions in Giuffre’s lawsuit against his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell was disclosed in a filing on Friday in Manhattan federal court, as part of a trove of documents being unsealed this month from the civil defamation case, which settled in 2017.

The Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution gives people the right not to incriminate themselves.

In the September 2016 filing, Giuffre’s lawyers said Epstein routinely answered “Fifth” in a deposition that month to about 500 substantive questions they posed, and 100 substantive questions that Maxwell’s lawyers posed.

Giuffre’s lawyers said Epstein’s refusal to answer extended to questions that posed no real risk of incriminating him, including whether he knew Maxwell, had in 2008 pleaded guilty in open court to a prostitution charge and was healthy enough to testify.

The questions also included at least three about Epstein’s relationship with former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

Lawyers for Epstein said in a subsequent filing, also released on Friday, that their client would have invoked the Fifth Amendment if called upon to testify at trial.

They cited among other reasons the “burdens” he would face, and the expected “media circus generated by Mr. Epstein’s personal appearance.”

Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 at age 66 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Several other people accused of aiding in his sexual abuses also invoked their rights against self-incrimination in various litigation related to him, Friday’s unsealed filings show.

More than 180 documents including depositions, legal briefs and email chains from Giuffre’s lawsuit have been released since Wednesday, under an order last month from U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska in Manhattan, who oversaw the case.

The documents name many of Epstein’s victims, who were paid to give him and others massages in exchange for money.

Others named included people who worked with the financier, and a handful of celebrities and politicians linked to him.

In addition to Clinton, prominent people named in the documents include actor Kevin Spacey, magician David Copperfield and business executive Leslie Wexner. None was accused in the documents of wrongdoing.

Several documents discussed the alleged activities of Britain’s Prince Andrew, who Giuffre sued and accused of abusing her more than two decades ago when she was 17.

Andrew has denied Giuffre’s accusations, but settled her case for a reported 12 million pounds ($15 million) in 2022.

Maxwell is appealing her December 2021 conviction and 20-year prison sentence for aiding in Epstein’s sexual abuses. A federal appeals court in Manhattan may review her case as soon as March.

The late financier Jeffrey Epstein invoked his constitutional right against incriminating himself about 600 times in testimony for a lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual abuse.

The late financier Jeffrey Epstein invoked his constitutional right against incriminating himself about 600 times in testimony for a lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual abuse. Epstein’s refusal to answer questions in Giuffre’s lawsuit against his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell was disclosed in a filing on Friday in Manhattan federal court, as part of a trove of documents being unsealed this month from the civil defamation case, which settled in 2017. The Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution gives people the right not to incriminate themselves. In the September 2016 filing, Giuffre’s lawyers said Epstein routinely answered “Fifth” in a deposition that month to about 500 substantive questions they posed, and 100 substantive questions that Maxwell’s lawyers posed. Giuffre’s lawyers said Epstein’s refusal to answer extended to questions that posed no real risk of incriminating him, including whether he knew Maxwell, had in 2008 pleaded guilty in open court to a prostitution charge and was healthy enough to testify. The questions also included at least three about Epstein’s relationship with former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Lawyers for Epstein said in a subsequent filing, also released on Friday, that their client would have invoked the Fifth Amendment if called upon to testify at trial. They cited among other reasons the “burdens” he would face, and the expected “media circus generated by Mr. Epstein’s personal appearance.” Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 at age 66 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Several other people accused of aiding in his sexual abuses also invoked their rights against self-incrimination in various litigation related to him, Friday’s unsealed filings show. More than 180 documents including depositions, legal briefs and email chains from Giuffre’s lawsuit have been released since Wednesday, under an order last month from U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska in Manhattan, who oversaw the case. The documents name many of Epstein’s victims, who were paid to give him and others massages in exchange for money. Others named included people who worked with the financier, and a handful of celebrities and politicians linked to him. In addition to Clinton, prominent people named in the documents include actor Kevin Spacey, magician David Copperfield and business executive Leslie Wexner. None was accused in the documents of wrongdoing. Several documents discussed the alleged activities of Britain’s Prince Andrew, who Giuffre sued and accused of abusing her more than two decades ago when she was 17. Andrew has denied Giuffre’s accusations, but settled her case for a reported 12 million pounds ($15 million) in 2022. Maxwell is appealing her December 2021 conviction and 20-year prison sentence for aiding in Epstein’s sexual abuses. A federal appeals court in Manhattan may review her case as soon as March.

Court filings say Jeffrey Epstein invoked right to silence 600 times

A new report alleges that the late ope John Paul II knew about child abuse in Poland's Catholic Church even before taking over as pontiff. It further claims that the late Pope helped cover the litany of abuses. The report is based on an investigation by Michal Gutowski for Polish TV broadcaster TVN. Gutowski claims that the pope, then known by his original name Karol Wojtyla, was aware of the cases of paedophile priests within the church while still serving as a cardinal in Krakow. Reportedly, to avoid a scandal, he transferred the priests to other far-away dioceses.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Report: 216,000 minors abused by French Catholic clergy

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In 2015, he even wrote a letter of recommendation to Vienna Cardinal Franz Koenig for one of the priests accused of paedophilia. The letter made no mention of the abuse accusations.

John Paul II was pope for 27 years — from 1978 until his death in 2005.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-the-ugly-face-of-child-sexual-abuse-in-catholic-church-562722">EXPLAINED: The ugly face of Child sexual abuse in Catholic church</a>

During his investigation, Gutowski talked to victims of the alleged paedophile priests. He also talked to the victim's families and former church diocese employees.

As proof, Gutowski, according to AFP, cites documents from former Communist-era SB secret police and rare church documents to which he managed to get access.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/around-5000-kids-have-been-sexually-abused-by-catholic-clergy-in-portugal-since-1950-report-561849">Around 5,000 kids have been sexually abused by Catholic clergy in Portugal since 1950: Report</a>

However, he was denied access to Krakow's diocese. In the past,&nbsp;the Polish church has refused to provide records to the judiciary or police on cases of church abuse of minors.

One of Gutowski's sources claimed to have in 1973 personally notified the former pope of acts of paedophilia. "Wojtyla first wanted to make sure it wasn't a bluff," claims the source.

The then-cardinal reportedly told him to keep the information under wraps, saying "he would deal with it."&nbsp;

Recent years have seen several reports of similar abuse of minors from the Polish church. Following the reports, especially in the past two years, several high-ranking church officials have been charged by the Vatican for covering up paedophilia by members of the clergy.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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A new report alleges that the late ope John Paul II knew about child abuse in Poland's Catholic Church even before taking over as pontiff. It further claims that the late Pope helped cover the litany of abuses.

A new report alleges that the late ope John Paul II knew about child abuse in Poland's Catholic Church even before taking over as pontiff. It further claims that the late Pope helped cover the litany of abuses. The report is based on an investigation by Michal Gutowski for Polish TV broadcaster TVN. Gutowski claims that the pope, then known by his original name Karol Wojtyla, was aware of the cases of paedophile priests within the church while still serving as a cardinal in Krakow. Reportedly, to avoid a scandal, he transferred the priests to other far-away dioceses. Watch | Gravitas: Report: 216,000 minors abused by French Catholic clergy In 2015, he even wrote a letter of recommendation to Vienna Cardinal Franz Koenig for one of the priests accused of paedophilia. The letter made no mention of the abuse accusations. John Paul II was pope for 27 years — from 1978 until his death in 2005. Also read | EXPLAINED: The ugly face of Child sexual abuse in Catholic church During his investigation, Gutowski talked to victims of the alleged paedophile priests. He also talked to the victim's families and former church diocese employees. As proof, Gutowski, according to AFP, cites documents from former Communist-era SB secret police and rare church documents to which he managed to get access. Also read | Around 5,000 kids have been sexually abused by Catholic clergy in Portugal since 1950: Report However, he was denied access to Krakow's diocese. In the past, the Polish church has refused to provide records to the judiciary or police on cases of church abuse of minors. One of Gutowski's sources claimed to have in 1973 personally notified the former pope of acts of paedophilia. "Wojtyla first wanted to make sure it wasn't a bluff," claims the source. The then-cardinal reportedly told him to keep the information under wraps, saying "he would deal with it." Recent years have seen several reports of similar abuse of minors from the Polish church. Following the reports, especially in the past two years, several high-ranking church officials have been charged by the Vatican for covering up paedophilia by members of the clergy. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Former Pope John Paul II covered up cases of paedophilia in church: Report

Many nations and cultures hold teachers in the highest regard, with the relationship between them and their students being compared to that of God and his devotees. However, what would you do if you witness the same revered person being "creepy" toward you or your classmates?

Some people voice complaints, while others remain silent, however, some students from Rhode Island, United States, decided to do something about it and started a "pedo database".

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Sexual abuse 'normalised' in U.K. schools

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Sixth graders at Davisville Middle School considered their teacher Aaron Thomas a "creep" after observing him leering at a few female students, calling them by nicknames, and even pushing them to dance for him. All this, while he treated the "boys with contempt, and sometimes cruelty" reports Boston Globe.

They tried talking to adults about what they witnessed, but no one took them seriously and all this while they would see the girls in their class struggle to deal with the teacher's behaviour.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/peru-seeks-to-punish-paedophile-rapists-with-chemical-castration-472721">Peru seeks to punish paedophile rapists with chemical castration</a>

The teacher reportedly even told the students that no one could do anything to him and that he had withstood the parents' complaints for almost 30 years.&nbsp;

So, the students started keeping a log of all his creepy comments, and this "pedo database" is now part of an investigation into the&nbsp;teacher.

In an interview with the Boston Globe, one of the boys talked about how he and his buddies started their "Pedo Database" in January 2021 to keep tabs on the teacher's actions and words.&nbsp;

Talking about the girls and what they were going through he said, “Sometimes they’d laugh. Sometimes they just kind of just sit there awkwardly.”&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-accuses-us-father-of-child-sex-abuse-for-clicking-pictures-of-an-infection-on-toddlers-genitals-509367">Google accuses US father of 'child sex abuse' for clicking pictures of an infection on toddler's genitals</a>

“Even the ones that said he was ‘creepy’ laughed, because they were obviously not trying to tick him off or anything. So they’re just fake laughing, awkwardly laughing,” he recalled.&nbsp;

On January 5, 2021, the boys who were now in the seventh grade started a subchannel on discord which they named after the alleged paedophile teacher, called it a "pedo database" and started using it as a platform to keep records of "the [teacher’s] pedo moments and quotes here so we can get evidence."

In April 2022, the teacher who also served as the coach was escorted out of the school after a girl and her family accused him of&nbsp;conducting naked “fat tests” on teenage athletes.&nbsp;And then, in late April 2022, the teacher was escorted out of the middle school.

When the boys learned that people had been asked to come forward with information, they informed their parents of their "Pedo Database".

It is now in the hands of the US attorney's Office, the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families, the state Department of Education, and attorney Matthew Oliverio, who is leading the school's internal investigation.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Many nations and cultures hold teachers in the highest regard, with the relationship between them and their students being compared to that of God and his devotees.

Many nations and cultures hold teachers in the highest regard, with the relationship between them and their students being compared to that of God and his devotees. However, what would you do if you witness the same revered person being "creepy" toward you or your classmates? Some people voice complaints, while others remain silent, however, some students from Rhode Island, United States, decided to do something about it and started a "pedo database". Watch | Gravitas: Sexual abuse 'normalised' in U.K. schools Sixth graders at Davisville Middle School considered their teacher Aaron Thomas a "creep" after observing him leering at a few female students, calling them by nicknames, and even pushing them to dance for him. All this, while he treated the "boys with contempt, and sometimes cruelty" reports Boston Globe. They tried talking to adults about what they witnessed, but no one took them seriously and all this while they would see the girls in their class struggle to deal with the teacher's behaviour. Also read | Peru seeks to punish paedophile rapists with chemical castration The teacher reportedly even told the students that no one could do anything to him and that he had withstood the parents' complaints for almost 30 years. So, the students started keeping a log of all his creepy comments, and this "pedo database" is now part of an investigation into the teacher. In an interview with the Boston Globe, one of the boys talked about how he and his buddies started their "Pedo Database" in January 2021 to keep tabs on the teacher's actions and words. Talking about the girls and what they were going through he said, “Sometimes they’d laugh. Sometimes they just kind of just sit there awkwardly.” Also read | Google accuses US father of 'child sex abuse' for clicking pictures of an infection on toddler's genitals “Even the ones that said he was ‘creepy’ laughed, because they were obviously not trying to tick him off or anything. So they’re just fake laughing, awkwardly laughing,” he recalled. On January 5, 2021, the boys who were now in the seventh grade started a subchannel on discord which they named after the alleged paedophile teacher, called it a "pedo database" and started using it as a platform to keep records of "the [teacher’s] pedo moments and quotes here so we can get evidence." In April 2022, the teacher who also served as the coach was escorted out of the school after a girl and her family accused him of conducting naked “fat tests” on teenage athletes. And then, in late April 2022, the teacher was escorted out of the middle school. When the boys learned that people had been asked to come forward with information, they informed their parents of their "Pedo Database". It is now in the hands of the US attorney's Office, the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families, the state Department of Education, and attorney Matthew Oliverio, who is leading the school's internal investigation. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Sixth graders see teacher being 'creepy', create a 'pedo database' that is now being used in an investigation

The Toronto Film Festival has cancelled Friday's world premiere of a feature on paedophilia directed by Austrian Ulrich Seidl after a media report alleged mistreatment during its shooting in Romania.

The film, 'Sparta,'&nbsp;is about an Austrian judo trainer played by award-winning actor Georg Friedrich, who tries to overcome his paedophilia by starting a new life in a remote region of Romania.

Last week, the German weekly Der Spiegel published anonymous testimonies from members of the film crew, as well as children who starred in the film and claimed to have been exposed to violence on the film set.

Parents were also quoted on condition of anonymity as saying they were not properly informed about the film's subject matter.

"This film has been withdrawn," the Toronto International Film Festival wrote on its website without giving further details.

Production company Ulrich Seidl Filmproduktion declined to comment on the cancellation when contacted by AFP.

Seidl -- who won the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival in 2001 for 'Dog Days'&nbsp;and in 2012 for 'Paradise: Faith'&nbsp;-- has rejected the allegations.

"I never pushed the children (or any of the other actors for that matter) to do things on camera that they did not wish to do," the 69-year-old said in a statement on his website after the publication of the article.

"No child was ever filmed naked or in a sexual situation, pose or context. Such scenes were never my intention and none were ever filmed. During shooting, we never crossed the line of ethical and moral boundaries."

He also said he explained "all the essential elements of the film to the parents in numerous one-on-one conversations (with an interpreter) prior to shooting".

Prosecutors in Satu Mare county in northwestern Romania, where the shooting took place, are probing the allegations, a source from the prosecution told AFP.

'Sparta'&nbsp;is still scheduled to be shown at the San Sebastian Festival in Spain, which begins on September 16.&nbsp;

The edgy Austrian director has shocked arthouse audiences for two decades with hard looks at society's seedy underbelly.

His 'Paradise'&nbsp;trilogy of films about sex, power and the cultural obsession with women's bodies premiered at the Berlin, Cannes and Venice film festivals, in a rare hat-trick for a contemporary director.

The Toronto Film Festival has cancelled Friday's world premiere of a feature on paedophilia directed by Austrian Ulrich Seidl after a media report alleged mistreatment during its shooting in Romania.

The Toronto Film Festival has cancelled Friday's world premiere of a feature on paedophilia directed by Austrian Ulrich Seidl after a media report alleged mistreatment during its shooting in Romania. The film, 'Sparta,' is about an Austrian judo trainer played by award-winning actor Georg Friedrich, who tries to overcome his paedophilia by starting a new life in a remote region of Romania. Last week, the German weekly Der Spiegel published anonymous testimonies from members of the film crew, as well as children who starred in the film and claimed to have been exposed to violence on the film set. Parents were also quoted on condition of anonymity as saying they were not properly informed about the film's subject matter. "This film has been withdrawn," the Toronto International Film Festival wrote on its website without giving further details. Production company Ulrich Seidl Filmproduktion declined to comment on the cancellation when contacted by AFP. Seidl -- who won the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival in 2001 for 'Dog Days' and in 2012 for 'Paradise: Faith' -- has rejected the allegations. "I never pushed the children (or any of the other actors for that matter) to do things on camera that they did not wish to do," the 69-year-old said in a statement on his website after the publication of the article. "No child was ever filmed naked or in a sexual situation, pose or context. Such scenes were never my intention and none were ever filmed. During shooting, we never crossed the line of ethical and moral boundaries." He also said he explained "all the essential elements of the film to the parents in numerous one-on-one conversations (with an interpreter) prior to shooting". Prosecutors in Satu Mare county in northwestern Romania, where the shooting took place, are probing the allegations, a source from the prosecution told AFP. 'Sparta' is still scheduled to be shown at the San Sebastian Festival in Spain, which begins on September 16. The edgy Austrian director has shocked arthouse audiences for two decades with hard looks at society's seedy underbelly. His 'Paradise' trilogy of films about sex, power and the cultural obsession with women's bodies premiered at the Berlin, Cannes and Venice film festivals, in a rare hat-trick for a contemporary director.

Toronto festival cancels Seidl film premiere on mistreatment allegations during shoots

In a shocking development, an independent inquiry has found that sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests and other clergymen has had 216,000 victims between 1950 and 2020. This has been called a "massive phenomenon" that was hushed up by a "veil of silence".

The landmark report was released on Tuesday. The investigation took two and a half years. It was launched after widespread outrage over string of paedophilia claims and prosecutions against Church officials worldwide. 
&nbsp; 
This is tip of an iceberg as when sexual abuse by lower members of the Church like teachers at Catholic schools are included, number of child abuse victims over seven decades climbs up to 330,000.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/europes-social-democrats-show-signs-of-life-but-france-poses-a-roadblock-417473">Europe’s social democrats show signs of life, but France poses a roadblock</a>

"Until the early 2000s the Catholic Church showed a profound and even cruel indifference towards the victims," the president of the investigative committee, Jean-Marc Sauve, said at a press conference.

He denounced the "systemic character" of efforts to shield clergy from paedophilia claims.

Meanwhile, French Catholic bishops have asked for forgiveness from victims of the sexual abuse. &nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/macron-wants-calming-down-in-algeria-relations-418305">Macron wants 'calming down' in Algeria relations</a>

Monsignor Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, head of the French conference of bishops, said he and his fellow bishops wanted to express to victims their shame at the abuse revealed in the report.

The report of the inquiry,&nbsp;at nearly 2,500 pages, found that the "vast majority" of victims were pre-adolescent boys from a wide variety of social backgrounds.

"The Catholic Church is, after the circle of family and friends, the environment that has the highest prevalence of sexual violence," the report said.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a shocking development, an independent inquiry has found that sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests and other clergymen has had 216,000 victims between 1950 and 2020.

In a shocking development, an independent inquiry has found that sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests and other clergymen has had 216,000 victims between 1950 and 2020. This has been called a "massive phenomenon" that was hushed up by a "veil of silence". The landmark report was released on Tuesday. The investigation took two and a half years. It was launched after widespread outrage over string of paedophilia claims and prosecutions against Church officials worldwide. This is tip of an iceberg as when sexual abuse by lower members of the Church like teachers at Catholic schools are included, number of child abuse victims over seven decades climbs up to 330,000. Also Read | Europe’s social democrats show signs of life, but France poses a roadblock "Until the early 2000s the Catholic Church showed a profound and even cruel indifference towards the victims," the president of the investigative committee, Jean-Marc Sauve, said at a press conference. He denounced the "systemic character" of efforts to shield clergy from paedophilia claims. Meanwhile, French Catholic bishops have asked for forgiveness from victims of the sexual abuse. Also Read | Macron wants 'calming down' in Algeria relations Monsignor Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, head of the French conference of bishops, said he and his fellow bishops wanted to express to victims their shame at the abuse revealed in the report. The report of the inquiry, at nearly 2,500 pages, found that the "vast majority" of victims were pre-adolescent boys from a wide variety of social backgrounds. "The Catholic Church is, after the circle of family and friends, the environment that has the highest prevalence of sexual violence," the report said. (With inputs from agencies)

France: Inquiry reveals 216,000 cases of paedophilia by Catholic priests since 1950

A top Catholic cardinal admitted Saturday that Church files on priests accused of sexually abusing children were destroyed or never even drawn up in a move which allowed paedophiles to prey on others.

German Cardinal Reinhard Marx was speaking on the third day of an unprecedented summit of the world's top bishops convened by Pope Francis in a bid to tackle the crisis over paedophilia within the clergy.

"Files that could have documented the terrible deeds and named those responsible were destroyed, or not even created," Marx told the landmark Vatican summit on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-says-church-hasnt-known-how-to-listen-193036">a problem that has dogged the Roman Catholic Church for decades</a>.

"Instead of the perpetrators, the victims were regulated and silence imposed on them," he said.&nbsp;

"The stipulated procedures and processes for the prosecution of offences were deliberately not complied with."

The ongoing scandals over sexual abuse have escalated, engulfing countries across the globe with the latest crises hitting Chile, Germany and the US. At one point, delegates heard the testimony of a woman who was repeatedly raped by a priest when she was just 11.

"Engraved in my eyes, ears, nose, body and soul, are all the times he immobilised me, the child, with superhuman strength," said the woman, who remained anonymous.

Back in September, Marx apologised personally to thousands of victims who had been abused by clergy within the German Church, saying the perpetrators must be brought to justice.

His admission about the documents on Saturday sparked an angry reaction from Peter Isely of the Ending Clerical Abuse (ECA) association, who denounced such destruction of paperwork as "illegal" and demanded an investigation.

"What he didn't tell us is... Who did it? Where did they do it? And what did they destroy?" he told AFP. Victims marched to the Vatican, holding signs accusing Francis of being deaf to their cries, and urging the expulsion from the Church of both the abusers and those who enabled them.

"I didn't remember my rape -- it was very, very violent -- until 50 years after it happened," Tim Lennon, from the survivors' network SNAP, told AFP.

Investigations have shown that in many cases, priests accused of assaulting minors were transferred to other parishes as bishops turned a blind eye to protect the Church's reputation.

"The rights of victims were effectively trampled underfoot, and left to the whims of individuals," Marx said. The cardinal said it was essential that victims felt they could "trust the system".

"There are no alternatives to traceability and transparency," he said, admitting efforts to cover-up scandals had badly undermined the Church's credibility.

Francis has told his bishops he wants "concrete measures" drawn up against child sex abuse. But survivors have lambasted the centuries-old institution for not releasing the names and case files of priests convicted of abuse or possessing child pornography.

The Vatican has in the past refused to hand over internal documents about child sexual abuse cases to civil authorities investigating paedophilia. On Friday, Archbishop Charles Scicluna, one of the organisers of the summit, said the call for statistics to be released was "legitimate".

Marx also called for a rethink of pontifical secrecy, echoing the appeal made Friday by Linda Ghisoni, a professor of canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University, who told the meeting "the current legislation on pontifical secrecy" needed rewriting. Marx said transparency was needed in other areas of the Church, such as "the area of finances".

Scandals surrounding the Vatican bank have prompted a clean-up in recent years, with some 5,000 bank accounts being closed. But the decision to sack the bank's deputy director in 2017 without explanation prompted a flurry of rumours that he was dismissed because his investigations into possible illegal activity had hit too close to home.

The bank's reputation first came into question in 1982 after the body of senior banker Roberto Calvi was found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge in London. Calvi was often referred to as "God's Banker" because of his close ties to the Vatican.

No one has ever been convicted of his murder but prosecutors believe it was a mafia killing linked to money laundering via Banco Ambrosiano, the bank he chaired.&nbsp;

A top Catholic cardinal admitted Saturday that Church files on priests accused of sexually abusing children were destroyed or never even drawn up in a move which allowed paedophiles to prey on others.

A top Catholic cardinal admitted Saturday that Church files on priests accused of sexually abusing children were destroyed or never even drawn up in a move which allowed paedophiles to prey on others. German Cardinal Reinhard Marx was speaking on the third day of an unprecedented summit of the world's top bishops convened by Pope Francis in a bid to tackle the crisis over paedophilia within the clergy. "Files that could have documented the terrible deeds and named those responsible were destroyed, or not even created," Marx told the landmark Vatican summit on a problem that has dogged the Roman Catholic Church for decades. "Instead of the perpetrators, the victims were regulated and silence imposed on them," he said. "The stipulated procedures and processes for the prosecution of offences were deliberately not complied with." The ongoing scandals over sexual abuse have escalated, engulfing countries across the globe with the latest crises hitting Chile, Germany and the US. At one point, delegates heard the testimony of a woman who was repeatedly raped by a priest when she was just 11. "Engraved in my eyes, ears, nose, body and soul, are all the times he immobilised me, the child, with superhuman strength," said the woman, who remained anonymous. Back in September, Marx apologised personally to thousands of victims who had been abused by clergy within the German Church, saying the perpetrators must be brought to justice. His admission about the documents on Saturday sparked an angry reaction from Peter Isely of the Ending Clerical Abuse (ECA) association, who denounced such destruction of paperwork as "illegal" and demanded an investigation. "What he didn't tell us is... Who did it? Where did they do it? And what did they destroy?" he told AFP. Victims marched to the Vatican, holding signs accusing Francis of being deaf to their cries, and urging the expulsion from the Church of both the abusers and those who enabled them. "I didn't remember my rape -- it was very, very violent -- until 50 years after it happened," Tim Lennon, from the survivors' network SNAP, told AFP. Investigations have shown that in many cases, priests accused of assaulting minors were transferred to other parishes as bishops turned a blind eye to protect the Church's reputation. "The rights of victims were effectively trampled underfoot, and left to the whims of individuals," Marx said. The cardinal said it was essential that victims felt they could "trust the system". "There are no alternatives to traceability and transparency," he said, admitting efforts to cover-up scandals had badly undermined the Church's credibility. Francis has told his bishops he wants "concrete measures" drawn up against child sex abuse. But survivors have lambasted the centuries-old institution for not releasing the names and case files of priests convicted of abuse or possessing child pornography. The Vatican has in the past refused to hand over internal documents about child sexual abuse cases to civil authorities investigating paedophilia. On Friday, Archbishop Charles Scicluna, one of the organisers of the summit, said the call for statistics to be released was "legitimate". Marx also called for a rethink of pontifical secrecy, echoing the appeal made Friday by Linda Ghisoni, a professor of canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University, who told the meeting "the current legislation on pontifical secrecy" needed rewriting. Marx said transparency was needed in other areas of the Church, such as "the area of finances". Scandals surrounding the Vatican bank have prompted a clean-up in recent years, with some 5,000 bank accounts being closed. But the decision to sack the bank's deputy director in 2017 without explanation prompted a flurry of rumours that he was dismissed because his investigations into possible illegal activity had hit too close to home. The bank's reputation first came into question in 1982 after the body of senior banker Roberto Calvi was found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge in London. Calvi was often referred to as "God's Banker" because of his close ties to the Vatican. No one has ever been convicted of his murder but prosecutors believe it was a mafia killing linked to money laundering via Banco Ambrosiano, the bank he chaired.

Top cardinal says Catholic church files on paedophile priests were 'destroyed'

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