First Trial Opens for Riaumont Religious Community Amid Decade-Long Abuse Allegations
A former prieur faces charges of possessing child pornography, marking the initial legal proceedings in a broader investigation into abuse and misconduct at the Catholic traditionalist institution.
- Alain Hocquemiller, former prieur of Riaumont, is on trial for possession and habitual online consultation of child pornography from 2012 to 2017.
- The Riaumont community, a Catholic traditionalist institution in northern France, has been under investigation since 2013 for systemic abuse, including sexual violence and mistreatment of children.
- The prosecution has called for a two-year prison sentence, with one year suspended, for Hocquemiller in this initial case tied to broader allegations.
- Riaumont has faced multiple accusations, including violence against minors, sexual abuse, and a toxic environment, leading to the closure of its private school in 2019 and restrictions on its scouting activities.
- Further trials are expected, with six other religious figures from Riaumont facing charges related to violent and abusive behavior toward minors under their care.
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