POLAND
The New York Times
By JOANNA BERENDT
MARCH 20, 2015
A Polish priest accused of sexually abusing minors in Poland and in the Dominican Republic, where he led a parish for almost a decade, offered to serve a seven-year jail sentence as his trial opened on Friday, according to a spokeswoman for a regional court in Warsaw. The priest, the Rev. Wojciech Gil, is charged with committing 10 crimes, most of which relate to the molestation of boys under the age of 15. If convicted, he could serve up to 15 years in prison. During the trial, which is closed to the public, Father Gil for the first time since his arrest did not deny the charges, the court spokeswoman said, but it is unclear whether he pleaded guilty. Under Polish law, a defendant can offer to serve a jail term for some crimes without admitting to any guilt. The prosecutors are to respond to his offer when the trial resumes on Wednesday.
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