THE Catholic church has allegedly acquitted a priest infected with HIV who admitted raping around thirty young girls aged between five and ten.

José Garcia Ataulfo was absolved by the Archdioceses of Mexico according to shocking reports by local news site Urgente24.com.

It says Ataulfo has admitted preying on young girls in the state of Oaxaca -- but police have steered clear from investigating over fear of upsetting the Catholic establishment.

5 Priest José Garcia Ataulfo is said to have admitted molesting dozens of young girls Credit: Getty Images

5 Catholic Church in Mexico is reported to have absolved the HIV-positive priest Credit: Getty Images

5 Church is all-powerful in Mexico, leading to fears of police negligence Credit: Getty Images

Reportedly only two victims have come forward to denounce the acquittal -- evidence of the fear of reprisals some have when crossing the powerful Church.

The Mexican branch of hacking group Anonymous also reports that one victim even contacted the Vatican to meet with Pope Francis, but was turned away.

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However, SIAME, the communications office of the Archdiocese of Mexico, has stated the name José Ataulfo is not listed in their records.

It also doesn't appear in those of the Archdiocese of Antequera, Oaxaca.

“This supposed priest does not belong to the Archdiocese of Mexico – as Anonymous Mexico asserts – much less has he been let off, as the post irresponsibly and maliciously states,” Fr. Hugo Valdemar Romero, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Mexico, told Catholic News Agency.

5 Pope Francis has said he will crack down on Bishops who are found to have covered up their priests' crimes Credit: Getty Images

5 The Ataulfo case is similar to that of molester Marcial Maciel who was kicked out of his ministry in 2006 Credit: Polaris / eyevine

Pope Francis has insisted that priests found guilty of sexual assault would be thrown out of the Church.

He has also said Bishops trying to cover up abuse carried out by priests would be defrocked.

Child sex abuse in the Catholic Church has been a controversial topic since the early 2000s following a Boston Globe exposé of crimes by men of the cloth in the city.

The Globe's work was documented in the 2016 Oscar-winning film Spotlight.

The last major Church figure to be forced out of active duty was Mexican priest Marcial Maciel.

His crimes against children spanned decades, but was only taken away from his ministry in 2006.

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