Spanish priest under investigation after police catch him with poppers and Viagra in Madrid

Crime

The incident has caused outrage in the Diocese of Cuenca, which previously faced scandal when another local priest was convicted of child sexual abuse.

JML

Indignation has erupted in the Diocese of Cuenca after a 52-year-old priest was caught by police in Madrid in possession of Viagra and poppers.

The clergyman, who was driving with a 25-year-old Peruvian passenger, is now under investigation for an offence against public health.

Police officers intercepted the vehicle after noticing it making suspicious manoeuvres. Although the occupants initially denied carrying any narcotics, a subsequent search of the car uncovered blisters of Viagra and bottles of poppers - a banned chemical substance commonly used to enhance sexual pleasure.

The priest admitted to police that the substances belonged to him but was unable to provide a prescription to prove their legal origin.

The scandal comes as a fresh blow to the Diocese of Cuenca, which is still reeling from a high-profile case involving another of its clergymen. In April 2024, a 33-year-old priest from the diocese stood trial on two counts of sexual abuse involving a 13-year-old boy and girl, alongside one count of cyber sexual harassment against a 15-year-old girl.

That priest was sentenced to four years in prison, but avoided jail time by agreeing to undergo sex education training and complete community service. He was also handed a 19-year ban on working with minors, a 13-year period of supervised release, and strict restraining orders protecting his victims.

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