Former Germany defender Metzelder found guilty of sharing child pornography pictures

Former soccer player Christoph Metzelder leaves the regional court, following his trial for possession and distribution of child pornography, in Duesseldorf, Germany, April 29, 2021. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay

DUESSELDORF, Germany (Reuters) - Former Germany defender Christoph Metzelder was given a 10-month suspended prison sentence on Thursday after being found guilty of sharing pictures of child pornography with acquaintances through a message service, a court in Duesseldorf said.

The court found Metzelder guilty of the offence after an investigation that started in 2019, and the former player admitting earlier on Thursday to sharing files on WhatsApp.