<p>Under Italian law, the penalty for sexual violence against a child under the age of 14 ranges from six to 12 years.<br /><br />The 40-year-old priest, who has been named as 'David', comes from the southern city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu. <br /><br />He was released from prison in the town of Teramo, 175 km northeast of Rome, Thursday and remains under house arrest in an undisclosed location, believed to be a local convent.<br /><br />"He is feeling relieved now that he is under house arrest," said Davide Pagnottella, a priest and friend from the Teramo diocese told AKI. <br /><br />Pagnottella said it was not clear when the priest's court hearing would be held since the timetable was up to the judiciary.<br />He it should be recognised as "an isolated case" and justice should be allowed to take its course.<br /><br />"He has suffered a great deal because he understands the seriousness of what he has done," Pagnottella said.<br /><br />"Naturally he is part of a culture that is very different to our own," he said. <br />"He is having trouble with the language, and this has created more problems on top of his psychological pain."<br /><br />Pagnottella said the priest had not had any contact with his ailing mother since he returned to Italy from India Monday. <br /><br />The priest Wednesday admitted to visiting the girl at her home Dec 19 last year and after offering her a Santa Claus doll placed her hand on his genital area.<br />His defence lawyer Giovanni Gebbia could not be contacted Friday but previously declined to discuss the potential sentence his client may face.<br /><br />He said his client had been singled out because of the "current climate" after a wave of sexual abuse allegations by priests has shaken the Catholic Church in the US, Germany, Ireland, Italy and several other countries.<br />The Vatican is now strongly urging bishops to report abuse cases to civil authorities if required by local law.<br /></p>
<p>Under Italian law, the penalty for sexual violence against a child under the age of 14 ranges from six to 12 years.<br /><br />The 40-year-old priest, who has been named as 'David', comes from the southern city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu. <br /><br />He was released from prison in the town of Teramo, 175 km northeast of Rome, Thursday and remains under house arrest in an undisclosed location, believed to be a local convent.<br /><br />"He is feeling relieved now that he is under house arrest," said Davide Pagnottella, a priest and friend from the Teramo diocese told AKI. <br /><br />Pagnottella said it was not clear when the priest's court hearing would be held since the timetable was up to the judiciary.<br />He it should be recognised as "an isolated case" and justice should be allowed to take its course.<br /><br />"He has suffered a great deal because he understands the seriousness of what he has done," Pagnottella said.<br /><br />"Naturally he is part of a culture that is very different to our own," he said. <br />"He is having trouble with the language, and this has created more problems on top of his psychological pain."<br /><br />Pagnottella said the priest had not had any contact with his ailing mother since he returned to Italy from India Monday. <br /><br />The priest Wednesday admitted to visiting the girl at her home Dec 19 last year and after offering her a Santa Claus doll placed her hand on his genital area.<br />His defence lawyer Giovanni Gebbia could not be contacted Friday but previously declined to discuss the potential sentence his client may face.<br /><br />He said his client had been singled out because of the "current climate" after a wave of sexual abuse allegations by priests has shaken the Catholic Church in the US, Germany, Ireland, Italy and several other countries.<br />The Vatican is now strongly urging bishops to report abuse cases to civil authorities if required by local law.<br /></p>