(ANSA) - Rome, May 4 - Police on Wednesday arrested a 45-year-old Roman man accused of sexually abusing two girls aged five and nine and attempting to sexually abuse a 15-year-old girl.
Police said the man allegedly posed as a gymnastics instructor who was holding tryouts for a show at a church parish festival.
The man, who police identified only as P.L., had already served seven years in prison on a 2008 conviction for the same type of crime.
Police said in that case the man used the same technique, pretending to be a gymnastics coach or a physiotherapist in order to gain the girls' trust.
Police said in this case, the man approached the girls aged five and nine at the church in the presence of their father, and after telling them he was holding tryouts in the parish church theatre, he took the girls there by themselves and abused them. Police are continuing their investigation into the case.
Man arrested for allegedly sexually abusing girls at parish
Passed himself off as gymnastics coach, victims aged 5 and 9