A paediatrician in eastern Germany has gone on trial, accused of sexually abusing more than 70 children over a decade. The 46-year-old doctor faces over 130 charges, including rape, with alleged offenses occurring between 2013 and 2025 at clinics in Nauen and Rathenow, according to court proceedings.
The trial began on Monday in Potsdam, just outside Berlin. Prosecutors stated that the doctor was arrested about a year ago after a mother reported suspected abuse of her child. Subsequent searches of the doctor's electronic devices allegedly uncovered visual evidence of other crimes.
The defendant has largely admitted to the charges, expressing guilt and reaffirming previous confessions. The court heard that the alleged abuse often involved the doctor instructing young male patients to undress for photographs and videos, sometimes under the guise of medical examinations. In at least four instances, the abuse is said to have occurred during visits to daycare centers. The doctor is also accused of filming sexual acts with a former patient, who was between 15 and 16 years old at the time, at a residence within one of the clinics.
The Havelland healthcare group, which operates the clinics where the alleged abuses took place, stated in January that an internal review with outside experts was underway. Reports indicated that the "four-eyes protocol," which requires two individuals to be present during child examinations, was not consistently followed.
The doctor has been in custody since his arrest last November. The trial is expected to continue until December.