CATHOLIC ABUSE INQUIRY

Spain will hold its first official probe into child sex abuse within the Catholic Church, backing the creation of an expert committee to investigate such offences.

The vote, which was hailed by victims’ associations, passed by a large majority within the Spanish parliament, drawing a line under years in which the matter was swept under the carpet.

Until now, there has never been an official inquiry into alleged abuse by members of the clergy, not by the government, nor by the church.

Its mission will be to investigate “the abhorrent actions by individuals against defenceless children … so that both the people who committed these abuses and those who concealed or harboured them can be exposed”.

The committee will then draw up a detailed report which will be submitted to the national parliament.