Monk on trial for sexual abuse of disabled in Cordoba

THE Public Prosecutor is asking for 20 years in prison for a monk accused of sexually abusing disabled people at a social centre in Cordoba.

The Cruz Blanca centre is run by the Franciscan order and ‘Father Manolo’ as the monk is known, was the manager at the time the abuse occurred.

He is charged with two counts of sexual abuse and nine of abuse.

He has also been ordered to stay away from the centre and is banned from contacting the staff.

Two other people are also charged in the care, but only the monk is accused of abuse.

The abuse was discovered following an anonymous report to the National Police and Public Prosecutor in October 2009.

A volunteer was sentenced to five years in prison in 2010 for sexually abusing an intern who was 86 per cent disabled.