Laicised priest, who helped organise World Youth Day event, wanted on multiple counts of sexual assaults in Poland found working on the Isle of Man (UK).
He allegedly abused his position as a teacher and pastor to abuse children.
Former priest from Łomazy arrested. He molested five girls.
Slawomir Arseniuk., a former priest from Łomazy, was arrested by British police on the Isle of Man. The 55-year-old is suspected of over 20 sexual offenses he allegedly committed against five girls while teaching music lessons as a priest in Siedlce.
Former priest from Łomazy arrested. He molested five girls.
The faithful remembered Sławomir A. as a charismatic, committed priest, involved in many local religious and cultural initiatives. He encouraged young people to worship God through music.
The arrest took place on June 16 in Douglas – the capital of the Isle of Man – where the former priest worked in a restaurant. The man had been an international wanted man for two years. The District Prosecutor's Office in Siedlce initiated an investigation into his case in February 2022. A European Arrest Warrant and an Interpol Red Notice, which are in effect in 195 countries, were issued for him. Police considered him a fugitive from justice after he left Poland in 2023.
The charges against Sławomir A. relate to the years 2006–2015, when he taught music to children as a priest at the Cathedral Parish of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Siedlce. He allegedly exploited his position as a teacher and music group leader to commit acts harmful to minors. According to investigators, there were at least 25 crimes committed against five girls under the age of 16. These included molestation, violence, threats, and deception to coerce victims into sexual acts.
After being detained in A., he was taken to London and brought before Westminster Magistrates Court. He refused voluntary extradition, meaning the process of bringing him back to Poland will drag on for months. Further hearings have already taken place, and the decision on his extradition will most likely be made in the fall.
Priest with a guitar
Sławomir A. was born in 1969 in Łomazy, Biała Podlaska County. He was ordained a priest in 1994 at Siedlce Cathedral. In the following years, he worked as a vicar in several parishes in the Lublin Voivodeship. From 1995 to 1997, he served at the Parish of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Adamów (Łuków County), then at the Parish of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Ostrów Lubelski (1997–1999), and later also at the Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary in Ortel Królewski (Bialski County). For many years, he was associated with the Parish of the Holy Trinity in Łosice, where he served as vicar until 2014.
The faithful remember A. as a charismatic, committed priest, actively involved in many local religious and cultural initiatives. He served not only in pastoral but also in pedagogical roles. He encouraged young people to worship God through music. In Łosice, he gained renown as the founder of a Catholic music band, consisting of seven young people. Under the leadership of Father "Arsen," the group participated in national Christian music festivals and actively participated in parish events.
In 2014, Sławomir A. was transferred to the cathedral parish in Siedlce, where he continued working with youth, leading choirs and music lessons. It was during this period that, despite building a flawless image, serious accusations began to emerge.
Flight from the country
According to evidence gathered by the District Prosecutor's Office in Siedlce, the crimes occurred between September 2006 and September 2015 and involved five girls attending music lessons taught by the priest. The prosecutor's office accuses Sławomir A. of, among other things, eight crimes against one girl between 2006 and 2007, one crime against a second girl (2008), nine crimes against a third girl (2008–2010), one crime against a fourth girl (2012), and six crimes against a fifth girl (2012–2015). The charges include harassment, violence, threats, or deception to force sexual submission.
The Lublin police website states that Sławomir A. was wanted specifically on the basis of: Article 199 § 2, i.e., committing an act specified in Article 199 § 1 to the detriment of a minor; Article 200 § 1 – sexual intercourse with a minor under the age of 15 or committing another sexual act against such a person, or causing them to undergo or perform such acts; Article 197 § 2 – causing another person, by force, unlawful threat, or deception, to undergo another sexual act or perform such an act.
On September 25, 2015, just two weeks after his alleged last crime, Sławomir A. led a prayer vigil at the Holy Trinity Church in Janów Podlaski as part of preparations for World Youth Day. The prosecutor's office launched a formal investigation in February 2022, and after receiving a summons, A. left Poland in 2023. Since then, he has been considered a fugitive from justice.
Arrest on the Isle of Man
Thanks to cooperation between the British National Crime Agency (NCA), the Metropolitan Police's extradition unit, and local police on the Isle of Man, Sławomir A. was arrested in Douglas, where he was working in a restaurant. Although not part of the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man is part of the Common Travel Area (CTA), which includes Great Britain and Ireland, allowing citizens to travel freely without routine border checks.
However, it is not known when and how the former priest made it from Poland to the UK and then to the Isle of Man. The day after his arrest, on June 17, A. appeared before Westminster Magistrates Court in London. He refused voluntary extradition to Poland. A second hearing took place on June 24, but no decisions were made – the case was adjourned. The next hearing is scheduled for July 15, but the full extradition process could take many more months.
A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Liverpool, which has jurisdiction over the Isle of Man, confirmed that Sławomir A. did not hold any positions in local Catholic communities and was not associated with the local Church.
The Diocese speaks out
In response to reports of Sławomir A.'s arrest and allegations of sexual offences, the Diocese of Siedlecki issued a statement. In a statement, its spokesperson, Fr. Dr. Paweł Bielecki expressed "regret for the situation" and "apologies to all those harmed."
As noted in the statement, Sławomir A. has not been a clergyman of the diocese for over six years. By decision of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, approved by Bishop Kazimierz Gurda of Siedlce, he was dismissed from the priesthood. The decree in this matter was adopted by A. himself and became final on June 18, 2019. The Curia emphasizes that the current allegations were not the reason for his dismissal, as, it claims, "they have not been reported to the diocese."
The spokesman also added that the Curia has had no contact with the former priest since his dismissal from the clergy.
.jpeg)
Comments