Vilnius courts resume clergy cases with victim and defendant testimony

Vilnius courts will continue proceedings on Friday in criminal cases involving former cleric Tadas Švedavičius and priest Ryšardas Peciunas, with victims and an accused person due to be questioned, LRT reported.

The Vilnius Regional Court plans to question three victims remotely in the case against Švedavičius, who is accused of sexual crimes against children. There are 11 victims in the case, which is being heard in closed sessions.

Švedavičius is charged with raping children and teenagers, satisfying sexual desire in violation of a minor’s sexual self-determination, and sexually abusing children under 16. He is also alleged to have involved a child in drinking, exploited a child for pornography and possessed pornographic material depicting a child. Law enforcement authorities have identified 34 alleged criminal episodes spanning 23 years, from 2002 to 2025.

The Vilnius City District Court will continue hearing the case against Peciunas and Barbara Leščevska. They are accused of possessing pornographic material depicting children, and both deny the charges. Leščevska was questioned at the previous hearing; Peciunas is due to be questioned on Friday. The case is also being heard in closed sessions.

Peciunas has told journalists that the photos and videos at the centre of the case concern a family he knows and are not pornographic. He has been suspended from his duties since the investigation began but remains a priest. The case has three victims, and Peciunas is subject to a written undertaking not to leave the country.

BNS reported that Peciunas was also suspected in connection with votive offerings found in his possession. These are personal tokens of thanks, vows or requests offered at a place of prayer. No charge was brought against him over that part of the suspicions.