Man sentenced to over 14 years for attempted murder and rape in Klaipėda forest

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 the sexual assault of a 19-year-old woman in a city forest park, state broadcaster LRT reports.

Vidmantas Judeikis, 47, was initially sentenced to nine years in prison by a lower court for the April 2024 attack, in which he dragged the victim into the forest, struck her head against a tree, strangled her, and stabbed her in the chest and neck with a broken pen. The court ruled the original sentence failed to fully account for the severity of the crime and the defendant’s criminal history.

The Appeals Court in Vilnius overturned the earlier conviction for grievous bodily harm, instead ruling Judeikis had attempted to kill the victim. Prosecutors had sought a 17-year term, citing his status as a repeat offender with five prior convictions for serious crimes. Forensic experts testified that Judeikis showed no remorse and posed a persistent danger, as his violent behaviour had escalated despite previous imprisonments.

The victim, who regained consciousness and fled after Judeikis briefly left the scene, suffered severe physical and psychological trauma. Judges noted the attack was carried out with “particular cruelty,” leaving her with lasting harm. Judeikis had argued for leniency, claiming he regretted his actions and was willing to pay compensation, but the court dismissed his appeal.

In their ruling, judges Audrius Juozapavičius, Justas Namavičius, and Ernestas Rimšelis stated that Judeikis “committed the crime through extremely violent means, causing grave harm to the victim’s physical and mental health while posing a real threat to her life.” They emphasised his history of reoffending—including committing the assault within a week of completing a prior sentence—as proof of his “exceptionally high danger to society.”