Court opens case against priest accused of possessing pornographic material

Vilnius District Court on Thursday began hearing the criminal case against priest Ryšardas Peciunas, who is accused of possessing pornographic material and has been temporarily suspended from his duties, LRT reported.

Peciunas said he felt some relief after an investigation that lasted two years.

“I would not say that I am happy about the whole situation, but there is some relief because, after two years of an unclear investigation that certainly cost a lot of nerves and tension, I hope I will now be acquitted and the process will end,” he told reporters on his way into the hearing.

He was accompanied by his lawyer, Vytenis Dziegoraitis. The hearing is being held behind closed doors.

Peciunas said he had never admitted and would never admit guilt because he considered himself innocent. Asked why he had photographs of naked children, he said he would answer in court but briefly explained that they were photographs of families he knew and were not pornographic.

“They are photographs of families I know, which are not pornographic. I would not even say they are naked children, but children without clothes,” he said.

He acknowledged that temporary files from an internet browser had also been found in his possession.

LITEKO II, the courts information system, lists Barbara Lescevksa as another defendant in the case. Two people have been recognised as victims. Lawyers for the defendants and victims, as well as a child rights representative, attended the hearing.

The case is being heard by Judge Justyna Zukovska-Peciuliene, while prosecutor Sarunas Simonis is leading the prosecution. The case was transferred to the court in June and formally sent for trial on July 22.

Peciunas and Lescevksa are charged under Article 309, paragraph 2, of the Criminal Code. The provision covers producing, acquiring, possessing, displaying, advertising, offering or distributing pornographic material depicting a child or a person presented as a child, as well as obtaining or providing access to such material using information and communications technologies. The offence carries a fine, restriction of liberty, arrest or imprisonment for up to four years.

The Archdiocese of Vilnius says Peciunas was born in 1974 and ordained as a priest in 1999. In 2021, he was removed as administrator of the parishes of St George in Buivydziai and Divine Providence in Balingradas and appointed parish priest of the parishes of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rudiskes and St John the Baptist in Paluknys.

Another priest faces separate case

Vilnius Regional Court will hold the first hearing next week in the case of priest Tadas Svedavicius, who is accused of sexual offences against children. That hearing will also be closed to the public.

Svedavicius faces 34 criminal counts linked to sexual abuse of children, possession of pornographic material and involving children in drinking. The case has 11 victims, who were between 12 and 18 years old when the alleged offences took place. All are now adults.

Authorities believe the offences were committed between 2002 and 2025.