BERLIN - A paediatrician in eastern Germany went on trial Monday accused of sexually abusing more than 70 children over more than a decade, crimes the physician largely admitted committing.
The 46-year-old doctor is charged with more than 130 criminal offences linked to the abuse of children while he was working at clinics in the eastern German towns of Nauen and Rathenow between 2013 and 2025.
After the charges were read in court on Monday, the defendant spoke briefly to acknowledge most of the alleged acts, reaffirm his previous confessions, and express a profound sense of guilt.
In most of the documented cases, he would enter the rooms of his victims -- the majority of whom were male -- and instruct them to undress so that he could take photographs and, at times, videos.
In many instances, he allegedly carried out sexual assaults under the guise of performing medical procedures.
In at least four cases, the defendant allegedly took advantage of medical visits to daycare centres to commit sexual abuse against young children, again capturing images of the acts.
He is also alleged to have met repeatedly with a former patient -- who was 15 to 16 years old at the time -- at a residence at one of the clinic, where the doctor allegedly filmed sexual acts.
The doctor was arrested about a year ago after the mother of a child reported suspected abuse to authorities.
Searches of the doctor's electronic devices turned up visual evidence of further crimes, according to prosecutors.
He has remained in pretrial detention since his arrest.
The trial, which is being held in the eastern German city of Potsdam just outside Berlin, is expected to last until December. - AFP