Dutch public prosecutor rejects complaint against filmmakers who shot porn scene in church

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) in the Netherlands has decided to drop the case against filmmakers who shot a pornographic scene inside a church earlier this year, saying the accused committed no punishable offense.

The prosecutor contended that while the pornographic film was offensive, there was no longer a law against blasphemy in the Netherlands.

"We find it hurtful and disrespectful, but we've looked at the law book and do not really see a criminal offence. Blasphemy is not punishable and there is no question of trespassing," an OM spokesperson said.

The film, published on the website of Dutch porn star Kim Holland in January, featured two people having sex in an alley behind St. Jozef Church in Tilbur and in the church's confessional chair.

According to the Daily Mail, the couple was also filmed at other public locations in the city, including a shopping center elevator and a parking garage.

Holland has since apologized, saying the scene had been filmed by an external producer and would no longer appear on her site.

The priest at St. Jozef, Fr. Jan van Noorwegen, then held a Sunday Mass seeking forgiveness for the desecration of his church, the BBC reported.

Church manager Harrie de Swart said that he was surprised by the prosecutor's decision. "First of all, making such a video is contrary to the church owner's intention with the building," he said.

"In the second place, the creators were able to just enter the building, but to get to the confessional chair they had to climb over a fence," he added.

The church manager noted that the justice ministry said that the church should have hung a no-entry sign on the church entrance so that they could prosecute trespassers. But he argued that it would be "absurd" to hang such a sign on the door of a church.

The church still has the option of filing a civil lawsuit against the filmmakers, but De Swart advised the Diocese against it. "There's already been enough commotion and it led to nothing," he said.

Van Noorwegen expressed concern about a precedent being set. "Just imagine, if it happens now in a church, a town hall or restaurant, clearly it can happen anywhere," the priest was quoted as saying.

Holland also sparked outrage earlier this year when it was found that her company shot a porn film at an amusement park.