LIMA, (Reuters) – A Peruvian court sentenced a Catholic priest to 35 years in prison yesterday for repeatedly raping a boy in the school where he was chaplain – one of the few times Peru has jailed clergy accused of sex abuse.
The court found that Waldir Perez used his position as priest and chaplain at a private school in a poor district to abuse the boy between July 2010 and April 2012.
The boy was 10 years old when Perez first sexually assaulted him, the criminal chamber of Peru’s Supreme Court said in a statement.
Perez, who must also pay the victim 8,000 soles ($2,439) in reparations, confessed to the crimes, the court said. Medical and psychological tests also backed up the boy’s testimony.
The victim said that Perez once gave him 150 soles (about $45) after sexually abusing him so he could buy an MP3 player, the court said.
