Trial against former daycare teacher for sexual abuse and child pornography begins in Giessen

He is said to have sexually abused several children as a daycare teacher and to have possessed tens of thousands of child pornography files: The trial against a 34-year-old defendant begins on Monday (2 p.m.) before the district court in Giessen. The public prosecutor's office accuses the man of sexual abuse of children under protection in 25 cases, the law enforcement agency announced. He is also said to have “made relevant images”.

During the alleged crimes, he worked as a carer and educator in a daycare center in Grebenhain (Vogelsbergkreis). The man is also said to have had around 150,000 child pornographic and around 33,000 juvenile pornographic image and video files in his possession. During the investigation, the defendant did not comment specifically on the allegations, the public prosecutor said.

The 34-year-old was taken into custody in February this year. The news of the suspected abuse shocked the man's parents, colleagues and community representatives. The police and public prosecutor's office discovered him through investigations on relevant portals on the Darknet. He was initially investigated on suspicion of possessing child pornography. After a search, suspicion of abuse emerged when the material was viewed, investigators said at the time.