Jozef Wesolowski will have his first hearing on 11 July on charges of sexually abusing young boys and having child pornography on his computer

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

The Vatican’s former ambassador to the Dominican Republic has been charged with sexually abusing young boys in the Caribbean country and having child pornography on his computer, and will stand trial next month.

In a statement, the Holy See said Jozef Wesolowski will have his first hearing on 11 July.

Wesolowski was recalled to Rome in 2013, and last year he became the first person to be arrested inside the Vatican on paedophilia charges.

Since then he has been placed under modified house arrest, pending a decision by the Vatican criminal court on whether to charge him.

That decision came on 6 June, when the Vatican prosecutor asked the head of the Vatican City state tribunal to proceed with the indictment. The decision and trial date were announced on Monday.