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It was a short process for Christoph Metzelder at the Düsseldorf District Court.

The former national soccer player made a partial confession in a suffocating voice - soon afterwards he was convicted: The 40-year-old received a ten-month suspended sentence for forwarding child and youth pornographic files.

Metzelder had previously admitted the allegations to the public prosecutor in parts.

As a result, the trial against him ended on the first day.

The verdict is not yet legally binding.

Metzelder's former teammate Lukas Podolski was one of the first to speak out.

On Twitter with just one word (“Disgusting!”) And then in more detail.

The 35-year-old told “Bild” that he “did not understand” the verdict.

“It's not about sending a message to a prominent perpetrator.

The point is that something like this should generally be punished more severely.

Even a partial confession must not be a discharge when it comes to child pornography! "

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The legislature has already reacted.

On March 25, the criminal framework for such offenses was tightened as part of the legislative package “to combat sexual violence against children”.

"Disseminating, possessing and procuring possession of child pornography will become a crime," the law says.

Prison sentences of one to ten years are now provided for distribution (instead of the previous three months to five years) - for possession or procuring possession, prison sentences of one year to five years can be imposed (previously up to three years or a fine).

For Metzelder, however, the old legal situation still applied.

"Anyone who sins against children ..."

He was answerable because, according to the indictment, he owned child and youth pornography and forwarded a total of 29 files to three women.

According to the verdict, the district court saw it as proven that he had passed on files in 26 cases.

In one case, he was fined for possession of 18 files.

The fact that he had completed therapy at an early stage was taken into account positively in terms of the sentence.

In addition, he has no criminal record and it is to be expected that he will not commit any more criminal offenses in the future.

Podolski lacks the deterrent effect of the judgment, as he says.

“Anyone who sins against children must be punished with all possible severity of the law.

Again: Children are harmed!

Just like their parents and families!

The punishment does not do justice to the offense. "

"Will have to live with this guilt as part of society for the rest of my life"

Soccer vice world champion Christoph Metzelder has made a partial confession before the Düsseldorf District Court.

“I accept the punishment and ask forgiveness from victims of sexual violence.

I will have to live with this guilt as part of society for the rest of my life, ”said Metzelder.

Source: WELT / Jens Reupert