Probe opened after a French cardinal admits to abusing 14-year-old girl decades ago

French prosecutors in Marseille said on Tuesday that a probe has been launched a day after a French cardinal admitted that he abused a 14-year-old girl 35 years ago.

Jean-Pierre Ricard publicly admitted that he had abused a girl years ago. His statement was read out during a press conference by Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, who is the president of the Bishops' Conference of France.

A senior church body announced that 11 former or serving French bishops have been accused of sexual violence, including Ricard, who was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2016 and he said that he would withdraw from his functions.

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Ricard said in a statement: "Thirty-five years ago, when I was a parish priest, I behaved in a reprehensible way with a young girl aged 14. My behaviour has inevitably led to grave and lasting consequences for this person."

As a probe has been opened now, Ricard could also face charges as in France, the most serious sexual offences in France such as rape usually have a statute of limitations of 30 years. But, in case the victim was a minor at the time of the offence, the period to bring charges can be extended.

In France, the maximum period for charges of sexual abuse of a minor is usually 20 years from the date at which the victim turns 18. Meanwhile, prosecutor Dominique Laurens told the news agency AFP in Marseille: "A preliminary enquiry has been started to verify the facts of this revelation."

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This appears to be another dark chapter in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, which has been rocked by reports of sexual abuse. The reports include cases of violations around the world, often involving children, over the past 20 years.

An independent probe in 2021 alleged that French clergy had sexually abused more than 200,000 children over the past 70 years and the cases were ignored by the Catholic Church.

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