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CRIME

Trial begins for ‘largest child abuse scandal in Germany history’

Three suspects appeared in court in Germany Thursday to answer charges of child sex assault spanning decades that shocked the nation when it was uncovered in January.

Trial begins for 'largest child abuse scandal in Germany history'
The caravan park in Lügde, sealed off by police tape. Photo: DPA

Prosecutors say more than 40 children were subjected to abuse at the
“Eichwald” caravan park in Lügde, North Rhine-Westphalia state, between 1998 and 2018, with most of them between three and 14 years old at the time.

One of the defendants alone — a 56-year-old who lived at the campsite — is accused of 298 crimes against children, in summer 1998 and between early 2008 and late 2018.

The two other defendants are a 34-year-old man also from North Rhine-Westphalia and a 49-year-old from neighbouring Lower Saxony state.

SEE ALSO: Police 'failures' probed 'in the largest child abuse scandal in German history'

Two of the three accused hid their faces behind files as they entered the courtroom.

Presiding judge Anke Grudda closed the state court in Detmold to reporters and the public as the charge sheet was read out, telling protesting journalists they would be allowed back in later.

She said the 27 plaintiffs had a right for their personal information contained in the document to be protected.

Before the behind-closed-doors hearing, Grudda said she was “stunned” by the “undoubtedly repugnant” nature and scale of the alleged crimes, adding that the trial would be a “huge challenge” for everyone involved.

The Lügde case is one of the biggest abuse scandals of recent decades in Germany.

Public outrage was all the stormier as official failures came to light following the discovery of the abuse in January.

District police lost some of the evidence gathered during the investigation, while children's welfare offices have also been criticized over the scandal.

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BUSINESS

Elon Musk visits Tesla’s sabotage-hit German factory

Elon Musk travelled Wednesday to Tesla's factory near Berlin to lend his workers "support" after the plant was forced to halt production by a suspected arson attack on nearby power lines.

Elon Musk visits Tesla's sabotage-hit German factory

The Tesla CEO addressed thousands of employees on arrival at the site, accusing “eco-terrorists” of the sabotage as he defended his company’s green credentials.

With his son X AE A-XII in his arms, Musk said: “I am here to support you.”

The billionaire’s visit came a week after power lines supplying the electric carmaker’s only European plant were set on fire in an act of sabotage claimed by a far-left group called the Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group).

READ ALSO: Far-left group claims ‘sabotage’ on Tesla’s German factory

Musk had said then that the attack was “extremely dumb”, while the company said it would cost it several hundred million euros.

A week on, the lights have come back on at the site, but Andre Thierig, who heads the site, said on LinkedIn that it would “take a bit of time” before production is back to full speed.

Industry experts have warned that the reputational impact caused by the sabotage on the region could be more severe than the losses suffered by Tesla.

Tesla’s German plant started production in 2022 following an arduous two-year approval and construction process dogged by administrative and legal obstacles.

Tesla wants to expand the site by 170 hectares and boost production up to one million vehicles annually to feed Europe’s growing demand for electric cars and take on rivals who are shifting away from combustion engine vehicles.

But the plans have annoyed local residents, who voted against the project in a non-binding ballot last month.

After the vote, Tesla said it might have to rethink the plans. Environmental activists opposed to the expansion of the factory have recently also set up a camp in a wooded area near the plant.

READ ALSO: Why is Tesla’s expansion near Berlin so controversial?

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