Caen - A French Roman Catholic bishop accused of protecting a paedophile priest told families of the abused boys yesterday that he would act more courageously if he had to deal with paedophilia again.
Dr Pierre Pican, Bishop of Bayeux-Lisieux in northwestern France, told the court he had a "mental block" after one of his priests admitted to repeatedly sexually assaulting minors and he decided not to inform families or police.
He is the first French bishop to be tried for failing to inform police about a paedophile priest. The cleric in question, Rene Bissey, was eventually arrested and jailed for 18 years for raping one boy and sexually abusing 10 others from 1989 to 1996.