Prague - A choirmaster of a world-acclaimed Czech children's
choir was found guilty Wednesday of sexually abusing 40 of his
underage charges, a court said.
The County Court in Hradec Kralove sentenced Bohumil Kulinsky, 48,
formerly of renown Bambini di Praga choir, to three years in prison
suspended for five years and banned him from working with youth for
10 years.
The state attorney, who wanted the choirmaster jailed for eight
and a half years, appealed the verdict.
A tougher sentence would have made sense were the abuse detected
sooner after it had occurred, court spokesman Michal Strnad said.
According to the ruling though, the choirmaster abused the
underage female singers at choir outings, out-of-town rehearsals and
foreign tours between 1984 and 2003.
'The court also took into account that the children's choir
Bambini di Praga was one of the most successful in the world thanks
to the defendant (and) represented the Czech Republic,' Strnad said.
The victims testified that Kulinsky had among others pressured
them into taking a sauna naked or touched them on their breasts and
genitals.
The court also found him guilty of having sex with several charges
despite knowing they were underage.
'It ranged from watching them naked in a shower to having
intercourse,' Strnad said.
Kulinsky, who has insisted on innocence, appealed the verdict as
well.
He admitted to an affair with several chorines who were above 15
at the time, the age of consent in the Czech Republic. Both of his
ex-wives were choir members.
The renowned choirmaster had also conducted Czech philharmonic and
opera orchestras as well as ensembles across Europe and in Japan.
He had worked with Bambini di Praga, founded by his parents in
1973, since the age of 16 until his arrest in November 2004.
He was released from custody after more than seven months and
reportedly drives a taxi to earn a living.
USA
Your Talkback on this Story