On Wednesday, the Cologne Regional Court sentenced the internationally renowned fashion and child photographer Achim L. to four years and ten months in prison for serious child sexual abuse.

Of the total of 17 acts listed in the indictment, the chamber saw four as proven against three children.

The children worked for him as models.

In their pleading a week ago, the public prosecutor's office regarded eight cases of serious abuse as proven and demanded ten and a half years in prison.

According to the findings of the investigators, the crimes occurred between 1999 and 2017 or 2018, among other things, in the photographer's Cologne penthouse and while traveling.

In the past few years, the photographer has lived with some of the boys' mothers in changing "family-like groups," as the indictment states.

Pure burger

Political correspondent in North Rhine-Westphalia.

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The photographer's defense attorneys - who did not speak out in the main hearing - had pleaded for acquittal and announced revision after the verdict.

During the 26 days of the trial, the lawyers had tried to portray their client as the victim of a conspiracy by former employees and mothers who had been turned down by him.

In his oral verdict, the presiding judge made it clear on Wednesday that there was "no suggestion and no conspiracy".

L. deliberately sought contact with prepubescent boys and proceeded in a "highly manipulative" manner.

The fact that some of the allegations were acquitted does not mean that these boys lied on the witness stand.

It was just no longer possible to assign the events to specific acts.

Achim L. is considered one of the most renowned children's photographers.

He has worked for companies such as Dolce & Gabbana and McDonald's, as well as for numerous media such as "Vogue" and the magazines of "New York Times", "Süddeutsche Zeitung" and "Zeit".

His pictures have received many awards.

A few years ago, L. also photographed campaigns against child sexual abuse.

Under the motto "Do you know what your child is watching on the Internet?", one campaign featured portraits of children with eyes replaced by screaming mouths.

Another campaign's slogan was "Sexually abused children are betrayed by someone they trust."

There had already been three criminal charges against L., but they came to nothing.

Extensive investigations only came about through the testimony of the son of the woman with whom L. last lived.

In June 2021, L. was arrested during a photo shoot at Satzvey Castle in the Eifel.