The Kaharlyk District Court in the Kyiv Region has sentenced a former pastor of a Protestant church to 13 years’ imprisonment in a case involving the sexual abuse of a minor. According to the case file, the offences took place over a period of two years, and the girl became pregnant by the convicted man. The man was taken into custody in the courtroom.
Briefly about the main points
- The court sentenced the former pastor to 13 years’ imprisonment.
- I met the girl when she was 12 years old.
- The court found that systematic sexual abuse had taken place over a period of two years.
- The victim was awarded 450,000 hryvnias in compensation for non-pecuniary damage.
Their relationship began with emotional support and financial assistance
According to the court, the man met the girl in November 2021, when she was 12 years old. Her mother had taken her daughter to church and asked the pastor for spiritual support during a difficult time.
The court found that the man had gradually gained the child’s trust: he gave presents, bought clothes and electronic goods, and provided money. Later, according to the case file, he stated that this help had to be «repaid».
The court found evidence of systematic abuse and money transfers
The first confirmed incident took place in August 2022, when the victim was 13 years old. Subsequently sexual violence It took place systematically over a period of two years, according to the judgement.
For every sexual act, the convicted man gave the child money or transferred money to a bank card. These actions resulted in the minor becoming pregnant.
The court rejected the defendant’s version of events on the basis of the evidence
In court, the man partially admitted his guilt only in relation to the most recent incidents in 2024. At the same time, he denied the rape in 2022 and claimed that the girl had allegedly been acting in collusion with the police.
The court found that this position had been refuted by the body of evidence. This included the testimony of the victim and her sister, the results of molecular genetic analyses, audio and video recordings of covert investigative operations, statements of money transfers, and the findings of an internal investigation into the church association.
According to the case file, following a complaint from the girl’s mother, the man was removed from church duties and defrocked.
Prohibition on working with children, compensation and the right to appeal
The court found the man guilty of Part 4 of Article 152 and Part 2 of Article 155 of the Criminal Code. In addition to his prison sentence, he was banned from teaching and working with minors for three years.
The court partially upheld the victim’s civil claim: the convicted man is to be ordered to pay 450,000 hryvnias in compensation for non-pecuniary damage. He has also been ordered to pay over 12,000 hryvnias in costs for genetic testing and is to be entered in the register of persons convicted of offences against the sexual freedom and integrity of minors.
The verdict may be appealed to the Kyiv Court of Appeal within 30 days.
