Romanian priest jailed for killing young nun who was CRUCIFIED during botched exorcism ritual

A priest who was jailed for killing a 23-year-old nun in a botched exorcism has been chased out of his village and forced to live in a remote forest hut.

Father Daniel Corogeanu, 33, left Sister Irina Cornici bound, gagged, strapped to a cross and without food or water for five days at an isolated monastery in Romania.

Corogeanu, whose crime inspired a Cannes prize-winning film, was jailed for seven years in 2005 and vowed to build a monastery in her memory when he was released.

But when he arrived at the site of his proposed centre, the eastern commune of Zapodeni, furious villagers reportedly chased him into hiding.

A local council official said the priest has now set up home in a wooden hut in the forest, which he refuses to leave.

Corogeanu was jailed in 2005 along with four other nuns who helped him with the ritual at the Tanacu monastery in eastern Romania.

The crime was a national scandal for the Romanian Orthodox Church, which excommunicated the priest and promised reforms, including psychological tests for those seeking to enter monasteries.

But the outcome of the case is still shrouded in mystery and doubt, despite the conviction.

Father Daniel Corogeanu confessed 'We tied her up because she kept hitting and harming herself and we would have found her dead in her room eventually.

'I admit I tied her up and stuck a towel in her mouth and kept her like this for five days.

'I admit that I used to cover her mouth with tape while she took part in daily mass, but only because I did not want her to disturb the service.

'Four nuns helped me tie her up and guarded Irina for days. They tried to give her food and water but she refused. All she accepted was holy water. This was the best solution for her because she had to recover from her constant agitation.'

And earlier this month the Papacy gave its blessing to exorcisms as a standard practice in the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis has emphasised that Satan exists and was previously thought to support exorcisms.

Last year he appeared to cast out a demon from a wheelchair bound man who said he was possessed by the devil.