Peeping at unsuspecting people is definitely not a behaviour usually associated with the ethics of a priest. At least not the model one, idealised by right-wing circles praising modesty and restraint. What would they say about a 37-year-old clergyman who scratched a hole in a public toilet to look at half-naked men?

Artur S. is not the first man of his stature from the Lublin region to get into trouble over a predilection for voyeurism. Just two years ago a court handed down a verdict in the case of a 36-year-old vicar, Łukasz R. who was charged for videotaping women in a changing room in Croatia.

Artur S. will also (probably) face the consequences of his actions as he was caught in the act by his own victim. The priest went to a public toilet in the Vivo! shopping centre in Lublin and, through a scratched hole, peeped and recorded a man in an adjacent cubicle. The victim sensed something was wrong and rushed into the toilet next door, caught the offender, did not let him get away and called the police.

At the police station it turned out that Artur S. is in fact a priest. He heard a charge of attempting to record an image of a naked man without his consent. Police secured electronics belonging to the clergyman: a laptop computer and two phones. It is not known whether any other incriminating material was found against Artur S. The man was allowed to return home the same day.

An indictment against the priest has been submitted to the Lublin-Północ District Prosecutor's Office. His trial will begin in early September and it is likely to be excluded from public view. Despite being caught red-handed, Artur S. denies all charges.

The Bishop of Siedlce has decided, however, to remove the priest from pastoral work and place him in a place of isolation until the investigation is complete. This may have something to do with Artur S.'s numerous moves from parish to parish, although his superiors deny any signs of the clergyman's prior disturbing behaviour.

Source: "Wyborcza"