Trying to exorcise demons from believers is a spiritually dangerous and unbiblical practice which can often lead to very serious consequences

A German man was sentenced to nine years imprisonment by a court in Switzerland on Friday for trampling his mentally-challenged daughter to death in what police believe was an act of exorcism, Deutsche Welle reported.

The prosecutors also accused the 50-year-old man, whose name is not mentioned, of raping his dead daughter in an effort to revive her.

In a video reconstruction of the crime using a life-sized straw puppet presented by the prosecution, the man was seen standing over his prostrate daughter and forcefully kicking her in the stomach.

Autopsy reports showed that the girl died of internal injuries.

When testifying at the Frauenfeld District Court in the canton of Thurgau, the defendant insisted that he was simply giving his daughter a massage to cast out the demon.

His defense attorney termed the incident negligent homicide, and asked for a three-year sentence for his client.

The incident took place in January 2016 in the municipality of Wagenhausen in Thurgau canton.

READ MORE: Michigan Man Imprisoned for Slapping Daughter in 'Forced' Exorcism Attempt