PROVO, Utah (WHDH) — A Utah judge was criticized after he praised a convicted rapist in court at his sentencing.

Judge Thomas Low complimented Keith Vallejo, a former Mormon bishop who was on trial for sexual assault and was convicted. Low called Vallejo “an extraordinarily good man” and said “but great men sometimes do bad things.”

While Low praised Vallejo, a victim abused by the convicted rapist sat in the courtroom and heard Low’s comments.

“Someone else sitting in the room who may have been sexually abused could feel like, boy, if this is what it’s going to be like for me, I’m not going to come forward,” said Ryan McBride, the case’s prosecutor.

Low has not commented publicly on his remarks.

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