Man sentenced to over 14 years in prison for attempted murder and sexual assault in Klaipėda

A Lithuanian appeals court has increased the prison sentence for a Klaipėda man to 14 years and six months after finding him guilty of attempted murder in addition to sexual assault, state broadcaster LRT reports.

Vidmantas Judeikis, 47, was initially sentenced to nine years in prison for the violent attack on a 19-year-old woman in a Klaipėda forest park in April 2024. However, the Appeals Court in Vilnius overturned the lower court’s ruling, determining that the original verdict had failed to fully examine the circumstances and had incorrectly assessed the evidence.

The court found that Judeikis had not only sexually assaulted the victim but had also attempted to kill her. According to case materials, he struck the woman’s head against a tree, strangled her until she lost consciousness, and stabbed her in the chest and neck with a pen until it broke. The victim regained consciousness and escaped after Judeikis briefly left the scene.

Prosecutors had sought a 17-year sentence, citing Judeikis’ history as a dangerous repeat offender with five prior convictions for serious crimes. The court noted that previous prison terms had failed to deter him, as he committed the latest offence less than a week after completing his last sentence. The judges described the crime as “extremely brutal,” causing severe physical and psychological harm while posing a real threat to the victim’s life.

Judeikis had requested a lighter sentence, arguing that he was young, had admitted guilt, and was willing to pay compensation. However, forensic experts testified that individuals like Judeikis do not change their behaviour despite punishments or negative experiences.

The case was reconsidered following appeals from the convicted man, the prosecution, and the victim.