The Diocese of Malaga will compensate the victims of the priest convicted of sexual assault, although it is studying appealing its civil liability

The Diocese of Malaga has announced that it will financially compensate the four women who were victims of sexual assaults by a priest recently condemned by Justice, although at the same time it will analyze the possibility of appealing the judicial decision that considers it a subsidiary civil responsible party in the case.

The announcement was made this Wednesday by the bishop of Malaga, José Antonio Satué, during an appearance before the media in which he set the Church's position after the sentence that imposes a 52-year prison sentence on the priest.

During his speech, Satué conveyed a request for forgiveness to the victims and expressed the ecclesiastical institution's condemnation of what happened. "The facts deeply shame us," said the prelate, who defended the need to assume reparation for those affected by the damage suffered.

The judicial resolution establishes that the four women must be compensated with a total of 403,129 euros for the psychological sequelae and moral damages derived from the events. Although the sentence is not yet final, the Diocese has announced that it will proceed with the payment of the compensations with the aim of recognizing the suffering of the victims.

"We are aware that no reparation can heal the damage," said Satué, who added that the Church hopes that this measure will serve to convey to those affected "the recognition and closeness of the Church."

The priest was convicted of four crimes of sexual assault, three of them with penetration, as well as four continuous crimes of discovery and revelation of secrets. According to the sentence, the abuses were recorded by the accused himself and the images were later discovered by his romantic partner on a computer at the home they shared in Melilla.

While the Church confirms its willingness to face the compensation to the victims, the Diocese keeps open the possibility of challenging the part of the sentence that obliges it to respond financially as a subsidiary civil responsible party for the acts committed by the priest.