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'Paedophile priest' staying with parents in southern Poland

PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle 02.10.2013 08:44
Police have tracked down the whereabouts of Father Wojciech Gil, one of two Polish priests wanted by Interpol on paedophile charges in the Dominican Republic.

Family
Family home of Father Wojciech Gil in Modlnica near Krakow: photo - PAP/Jacek Bednarczyk

Police were notified by the Super Express tabloid, which reports that the 36 year-old priest is staying with his parents in the village of Modlnica near Krakow in southern Poland.

Police officers visited Father Gil at the residence and informed him that a warrant for his arrest had been issued by Interpol on charges of molesting under-age boys in the Dominican Republic.

"It turned out that the person sought by Interpol is actually present at the place indicated by Super Express," said Mariusz Ciarka from the state prosecutors office in Krakow.

The priest was not detained by officers but informed that a warrant had been issued for his arrest and Interpol have been informed of his whereabouts, the prosecutor said.

An extradition process will now begin so Wojciech Gil can answer the charges against him in the Dominican Republic, where a wide-ranging investigation into paedophilia in the Roman Catholic church has led to charges made against 21 priests.

The whereabouts of another Polish priest, Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski - who worked as the Vatican's representative in the Dominican Republic and who police also want to interview after paedophile allegations were made against him and a friend of Gil - is not known.

Holidays

Gil was on holiday in Poland in May this year, when news of the charges against him were reported in the Caribbean island where he had been working as a priest for the last eight years in the small town of Juncalito.

Polish media have reported that Gil took children on holiday several times to Poland, where they stayed with his parents.

The father of one of the alleged victims claims his son was molested by the priest for three years.

It is also being alleged that the priest groomed two other children by promising he would take them to the beach and on holiday to Poland if they dressed in bikinis and thong underwear and appeared in videos and photos.

Last Friday, the Polish Roman Catholic church apologised to victims of paedophilia on the island.

"The victims have been profoundly wronged. It is a very painful situation, and we sympathize with the victims because their trust has been violated. Sorry is the least that can be said," said secretary of the Polish Episcopate, Bishop Wojciech Polak. (pg)

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