Prague - A choirmaster of a world-acclaimed Czech children's choir was found guilty Wednesday of sexually abusing 40 of his underage charges, a court said.

The County Court in Hradec Kralove sentenced Bohumil Kulinsky, 48, formerly of renown Bambini di Praga choir, to three years in prison suspended for five years and banned him from working with youth for 10 years.

The state attorney, who wanted the choirmaster jailed for eight and a half years, appealed the verdict.

A tougher sentence would have made sense were the abuse detected sooner after it had occurred, court spokesman Michal Strnad said.

According to the ruling though, the choirmaster abused the underage female singers at choir outings, out-of-town rehearsals and foreign tours between 1984 and 2003.

"The court also took into account that the children's choir Bambini di Praga was one of the most successful in the world thanks to the defendant (and) represented the Czech Republic," Strnad said.

The victims testified that Kulinsky had among others pressured them into taking a sauna naked or touched them on their breasts and genitals.

The court also found him guilty of having sex with several charges despite knowing they were underage.

"It ranged from watching them naked in a shower to having intercourse," Strnad said.

Kulinsky, who has insisted on innocence, appealed the verdict as well.

He admitted to an affair with several chorines who were above 15 at the time, the age of consent in the Czech Republic. Both of his ex-wives were choir members.

The renowned choirmaster had also conducted Czech philharmonic and opera orchestras as well as ensembles across Europe and in Japan.

He had worked with Bambini di Praga, founded by his parents in 1973, since the age of 16 until his arrest in November 2004.

He was released from custody after more than seven months and reportedly drives a taxi to earn a living. (dpa)