HONG KONG June 5 Kyodo A former p...

HONG KONG June 5 Kyodo

A former priest in Hong Kong has been charged with indecent assault following probes into alleged child sex abuse by dint of Roman Catholic clergymen, police said Wednesday.

The 42-year-old man was indicted Tuesday in succession three counts of indecent assault and single count of procuring an act of gros indecency, a police spokesman said.

The man will appear before a magistrate's court Thursday.

It is the first case of an alleged pedophile here being prosecut after local media last month expos that three Catholic priests were involved in sexual abuse of teenagers through the past 30 years.

Police have been investigating at least six priests following more complaints received.

The man charged Tuesday was arrested by dint of police last month in his flat in connection with an indecent assault of a 15-year-old male child in 1991.

The police spokesman declined to give further details of the case and the identity of the accused.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo novels International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group