Lithuanian court convicts man who fled to Russia for sexually abusing minors

A 53-year-old dual Lithuanian-Russian citizen has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison for sexually abusing two underage relatives between 2018 and 2024, the Vilnius Regional Court ruled on Wednesday, LRT reports.

The man, born in 1973, was found guilty of sexual coercion of a minor and a young child, causing minor bodily harm, and inflicting physical pain. The court also ordered him to pay non-pecuniary damages to the victims. Prosecutors stated the offender exploited the victims’ helplessness due to their age to satisfy his sexual desires.

The defendant fled Lithuania during the pre-trial investigation and is currently in Russia. The case was heard in closed sessions in his absence. The prosecution was led by the Vilnius Regional Prosecutor’s Office, with the investigation conducted by the Vilnius County Chief Police Commissariat.

The verdict may still be appealed in the Vilnius Regional Court of Appeal.