CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There are new developments involving a sex-abuse lawsuit against the Charlotte Catholic diocese and a former church youth leader.
In February, Channel 9 reported that a local family filed a civil suit claiming the youth leader targeted their teenage daughter, and assaulted her.
[Lawsuit against church youth leader, Charlotte Catholic Diocese alleges sexual assault, negligence]
Anchor Allison Latos revealed that former leader is now firing back with a suit of his own.
An attorney for John Brian Kaup said Kaup and the accuser were not only dating, but that her parents knew and approved, according to the new court documents.
Now, court documents filed by Kaup's attorney said the Salisbury family's claims that the former youth leader at Sacred Heart Church sexually assaulted their teen daughter are not true.
The defense is asking a judge to throw out the family's civil lawsuit against Kaup.
"Contact between the plaintiff and Kaup was at all times consensual," his attorney said.
The two "were in a dating relationship" and the girl's parents "approved of Kaup dating their daughter," the attorney said.
In February, the plaintiffs' attorney, Leto Copeley, said that on Christmas night in 2013, Kaup drove to the Sacred Heart Church property in Salisbury and sexually assaulted the 17-year-old in his car.
In response, Kaup is suing the accuser's family claiming defamation.
"There are extremely few things that can be said of a man that can damage his reputation more, and that follows him his entire life, than that he is a rapist," according to the lawsuit.
Kaup's defense wants the girl's family to pay. He's requesting damages exceeding $25,000.
The accuser and her family are also suing the Catholic diocese of Charlotte.
The diocese is also asking a judge to throw out the case.
Court documents identify the family only as Jane Doe, Mother Doe and Father Doe.
Kaup's attorney wants their names disclosed.
A hearing in the case is set for June 1.
Cox Media Group
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