A statue of a late cardinal accused of sexual abuse has been removed from outside a German cathedral

BERLIN (AP) — A statue of a deceased German cardinal has been removed from its perch outside Essen Cathedral in western Germany, days after allegations of sexual abuse decades ago became public. The accusations against Cardinal Franz Hengsbach, who died in 1991, add to a long-running scandal over abuse by clergy that has shaken the German church. Last week, the Essen diocese said there were suspicions that Hengsbach may have abused a 16-year-old girl in the 1950s. A woman also accused him of abusing her in 1967. In a letter to parishes released on Friday, current Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck apologized for his mistakes in handling the allegations.