Overview

• The regional court found the former coach guilty of repeated severe sexual abuse, rape and humiliation in more than 100 acts over nearly 17 years.
• Offenses spanned teams in Essen, Mülheim, Oberhausen and Düsseldorf, including assaults during overnight stays and in a car at secluded parking areas.
• The case came to light after a 15-year-old reported the abuse in January, triggering a special police inquiry that traced allegations back to 2008.
• Proceedings were largely closed before the juvenile-protection chamber to protect victims, and prosecutors had sought 14 years and six months in prison.
• The court awarded €40,000 in pain-and-suffering damages to victims, and the verdict is not yet final.