The child’s 40-year-old mother was charged with obstructing criminal proceedings. The incident took place on 18 August 2014 in a village near Jawor, in the Wądroże Wielkie municipality. While in his garden, the 77-year-old performed sexual acts against his 7-year-old neighbour’s daughter, involving touching intimate parts of her body. A woman from a neighbouring block witnessed the incident. She was convinced that sexual intercourse had taken place between the older man and the child. She immediately took the girl away and told the child’s mother what she had seen. She warned that she would notify the police.

However, when she attempted to do so, the accused tried to stop her by pulling the phone from her hand. Moreover, after the police arrived, the 40-year-old refused to hand over the girl’s clothing, which she had been wearing during the incident in the garden. She claimed that she had not changed the child’s clothes and also denied that any incident involving Bronisław Sz. had taken place.

The 77-year-old man and the child’s mother were detained. The girl was taken to a hospital in Legnica, where she underwent a gynaecological examination. It was established that she had not been raped.

After the examination, by decision of the family court, the child was taken to a children’s home, where the girl had previously been placed together with her sisters. She had been staying with her mother for the holidays.

The prosecutor assessed that the accused had attempted to help the perpetrator avoid criminal liability. Therefore, the 40-year-old was charged with aiding an offender. She faces up to five years in prison. The woman pleaded not guilty.

The deceased Sz., who committed suicide in prison, faced up to 12 years in prison. The man also denied committing the offence. He maintained that he had been falsely accused by his neighbour.

Sz. had previously been convicted of this type of offence. From 2009 to 2011, he molested the older sister of the current victim. She was 10 years old at the time.

In June 2012, Sz. was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for five years. He was placed under probation supervision, banned from approaching the victim for five years and ordered to undergo therapy. The regional court upheld the judgment.

During questioning, the current victim confirmed the neighbour’s account. The case will be heard by the court in Jawor.

District Prosecutor’s Office in Legnica/ii