Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is urging the Church to take “all necessary measures” to ensure cases of child sex abuse by priests will not be repeated.

“Everybody makes mistakes but society and the Church, which should lead by example, have to take the necessary measures so that these cases will not be repeated,” Dr Gonzi said.

Speaking for the first time about the court judgment, Dr Gonzi said yesterday the justice process in this case was “too long”.

“The justice process was too long and we should do our best... to have an efficient investigative and judicial system that is faster than today’s,” Dr Gonzi said, adding the court’s judgment should be respected.

He admitted that reaching the right balance was not easy.

“A case like this shows the importance of having justice delivered in a timely manner but which is fair to both the accused and the victim,” he said.

Saying the case served as an eye-opener, Dr Gonzi insisted that the “shameful exceptions” must not be allowed to overshadow the good that the Church has done in society.

The Magistrates’ Court last week sentenced Carmelo Pulis, a defrocked priest, and Fr Francesco known as Godwin Scerri for six and five years respectively. They were found guilty of sexually abusing boys in their care at the Missionary Society of St Paul’s St Joseph Home in Sta Venera and at the order’s summer residence at Marfa.

Both have appealed the judgment.