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| Vatican ex-envoy Wesolowski dies ahead of abuse trial | Vatican ex-envoy Wesolowski dies ahead of abuse trial |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Jozef Wesolowski, a former archbishop and Vatican envoy to the Dominican Republic, has died before he could be tried for child sex offences. | Jozef Wesolowski, a former archbishop and Vatican envoy to the Dominican Republic, has died before he could be tried for child sex offences. |
| He had been taken ill just before the start of his Vatican trial in July. | He had been taken ill just before the start of his Vatican trial in July. |
| He was accused of paying for sex with children in the Dominican Republic. | He was accused of paying for sex with children in the Dominican Republic. |
| Wesolowski, 66, would have been the first high-ranking church official to be tried on paedophile charges. His case was seen as a test of the Vatican's pledge to stamp out abuse. | Wesolowski, 66, would have been the first high-ranking church official to be tried on paedophile charges. His case was seen as a test of the Vatican's pledge to stamp out abuse. |
| Last year, the Pope compared the actions of those who commit such crimes to a "satanic mass". | Last year, the Pope compared the actions of those who commit such crimes to a "satanic mass". |
| Wesolowski was reportedly found dead early on Friday morning. A Vatican statement (in Italian) said preliminary indications were that he had died of "natural causes". | Wesolowski was reportedly found dead early on Friday morning. A Vatican statement (in Italian) said preliminary indications were that he had died of "natural causes". |
| Wesolowski was charged with abusing children in the Dominican Republican between 2008-2013. | |
| He was also charged with possession of child pornography, dating from his return to Rome in 2013. | He was also charged with possession of child pornography, dating from his return to Rome in 2013. |
| He was due to have been tried under a new court system, set up by Pope Francis, to try clerics and employees of the Church who have been accused of exploiting minors. | He was due to have been tried under a new court system, set up by Pope Francis, to try clerics and employees of the Church who have been accused of exploiting minors. |
| If convicted, he could have faced between six and 10 years in jail. | If convicted, he could have faced between six and 10 years in jail. |
| Wesolowski had already been convicted over abuse by a church tribunal and defrocked as archbishop. | Wesolowski had already been convicted over abuse by a church tribunal and defrocked as archbishop. |