French priest accused of sexual assaults 17 years after death

French Roman Catholic priest Abbé Pierre, remembered as a champion of the homeless, has been accused of sexual assault 17 years after his death.

One of France's most revered figures, Abbé Pierre died in January 2007, aged 94. But now the country has been shocked by allegations that he sexually assaulted or harassed seven women between 1970 and 2005.

The news was broken by the Emmaus anti-poverty movement which he founded. The organisation said it had heard testimony from the seven women and it believed them. "These revelations have shaken our organisations, where the figure of Abbé Pierre plays a major role," the charity said in a statement on its website.

"We all know his story and his message. These acts profoundly change the way we regard this man, who was known above all for his struggle against poverty, destitution and exclusion."

The scandal represents an extraordinary posthumous fall from grace for the priest, who repeatedly topped national popularity polls during his lifetime. His movement had an international impact, with Emmaus hostels in dozens of countries.