Catholic cleric charged with sexual abuse of a child on church premises

RIGA - Krisjanis Dambergs, the former dean of St. Albert Roman Catholic congregation in Riga, has been charged with sexual abuse of a child on church premises, LETA learned. 

The prosecutor's office has sent the case against Dambergs to a Riga city court, LETA was told at the prosecutor's office. 

According to the case materials, after conducting a service in the church, the dean, taking advantage of the fact that there were no witnesses around to interfere with his unlawful acts, as well as taking advantage of the victim's trust in him as a parish priest and the victim's state of helplessness, namely the fact that, due to his minor age, he was unaware of the true nature and meaning of the acts performed on him and was unable to protect himself, carried out acts of a sexual nature.

Dambergs denies any wrongdoing. 

As reported, police detained Dambergs in April 2023.

According to information published in April on the web portal katolis.lv, Archbishop Zbignevs Stankevics has appointed Father Janis Savicki as administrator of the St. Albert parish, since Dambergs has been relieved of his duties as parish priest.