December 22, 2004

Kramek accepts deal

NEW BRITAIN (CT)
New Britain Herald

By JULIE A. VARUGHESE, Staff Writer12/22/2004

NEW BRITAIN -- The visiting Roman Catholic priest from Poland who sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl in her grandmother’s apartment pleaded guilty Tuesday in New Britain Superior Court.

Roman Kramek, 42, a former priest at Sacred Heart Church, 158 Broad St., will be sentenced Feb. 17 to nine months in prison and 10 years of probation. According to his attorney, William Dow, he will return to Poland after serving his sentence. He is required to register as a sex offender and provide a DNA sample to the state police upon his release from prison. A pre-sentencing investigation will be conducted during which the priest’s background and his thoughts on the case and the impact on the victim’s life will be reported and presented to Judge Susan Handy.

Kramek appeared in a suit and had his hands clasped behind his back for most of the hearing. When Judge Joan Alexander, who is filling in for presiding Judge Handy, accepted his plea, he put his hands to his face and covered his eyes and nose. Later, Dow would not comment on whether the defendant felt any remorse for the victim.

The victim, seated in the front row next to victim’s advocate Kitt Tierney, appeared timid and was not seated facing front toward the defendant; rather, her body was turned toward Tierney and she was tearful.

Posted by kshaw at December 22, 2004 09:03 AM