Former Real Madrid and Germany defender Christoph Metzelder admitted at the beginning of his trial on little one pornography fees Thursday to sharing graphic illicit photos of minors on-line. “I obtained incriminating footage that had been freely obtainable on the web (and) took screenshots,” Metzelder, 40, told a district court in the western city of Duesseldorf. “I shared extreme fantasies in chats,” he stated from the witness stand, in feedback reported by AFP’s sports activities information arm SID. Prosecutors say the 2002 World Cup finalist handed on 29 pornographic information to three girls through WhatsApp, together with one that includes a toddler in a “extremely sexualised pose”.
Metzelder, who entered the courtroom in a grey suit jacket and a black coronavirus mask, had not personally addressed the charges against him in public.
He told presiding judge Astrid Stammerjohann that he had been interested in “transgressing limits”, not by the sexual photos of youngsters themselves, which in some cases depicted grievous molestation.
Metzelder stated he had by no means taken half in “assaults on youngsters and youths… regardless of the graphic feedback within the chats”.
“It only took place in a digital parallel universe,” he stated, preventing again tears.
‘ACCEPT THE PUNISHMENT’
At the beginning of his testimony, he described his sports activities profession and neighborhood service of which he had been “very proud”.
“September 3, 2019,” when the fees got here to mild, “marked a break with the previous — professionally, socially and privately,” he said.
Metzelder told the court that he shared the images “although I know what horrible suffering inflicted on children is behind each digital file”.
He stated he would “settle for the punishment” imposed by the court and asked for forgiveness from “the victims of sexual violence”.
According to the case towards him, 297 information with sexual content material that includes youngsters or teenagers had been discovered on Metzelder’s cell phone.
Metzelder had been working as a pundit for Sky Sports Germany till he got here underneath investigation in September 2019.
His lawyer Ulrich Sommer stated final week Metzelder was in remedy, to assist him handle “sure points resembling sexuality or coping with girls in sure conditions”.
Sommer said the former centre-back was “shocked at himself for having had this kind of double life”, however insisted his shopper is “clearly not” a paedophile.
Metzelder was part of the starting line-up in the finals of both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2008, and made 47 appearances for Germany.
He also played for Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 in a career spanning 15 years.
He retired from football in 2014 and since 2006, Metzelder has run a foundation in his own name to support socially disadvantaged children across Germany.
The trial is scheduled to run until May 10. If convicted, Metzelder could face a fine or a prison term of between three months and five years.
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