A former pastor, Tom Thygesen Frederiksen, has been sentenced to five months in prison by the Næstved Court for possessing more than 80,000 files containing child abuse material. The court announced the sentence on Wednesday without holding a trial, reflecting the severity of the crime. Additionally, the court has prohibited Frederiksen from practicing as a pastor for five years following his conviction. His case has drawn attention because it involves a figure who was trusted within the community.

The charges came to light after a tip-off from the file sharing service Dropbox led the police to search Frederiksen's home on May 17, 2024. During the search, investigators discovered an alarming number of illicit files, including 78,701 images and 2,275 videos, many of which were stored on church-issued work computers. This indicates a significant breach of trust, as he was working in the Hårslev Parish while indulging in these illegal activities.

Frederiksen is 60 years old and was reported to have fallen ill before subsequently being suspended from his role in the church. Following the investigation and subsequent public exposure of his actions, he resigned from his pastoral duties. The nature of the material found, which included approximately 250 hours of video in the most severe category of abuse, highlights the troubling prevalence of such crimes and raises concerns about safeguarding and accountability within religious institutions.