A Polish court has convicted Bishop Andrzej Jeż of failing to promptly notify law enforcement authorities about the sexual abuse of minors by two priests under his authority, in a landmark case highlighting the Catholic Church's handling of clergy abuse scandals.

The District Court in Tarnów, southern Poland, handed Jeż a two-year restriction-of-liberty sentence on Thursday, requiring 25% of his monthly salary to be donated to a foundation supporting children who have suffered abuse. He was also ordered to pay 20,000 zlotys (approximately $5,000) to a state fund assisting crime victims and their families.

The ruling, the first of its kind against a Catholic bishop in Poland, is not final. The Tarnów Diocese has announced that it intends to appeal after reviewing the court's written justification.

The case concerns allegations of sexual abuse involving two priests serving in the Tarnów Diocese. Prosecutors accused Jeż of failing to immediately inform state authorities despite having credible information about offences committed against children under the age of 15.

One of the priests, identified under Polish privacy laws as Stanisław P., was accused of abusing dozens of children over several decades. An investigation into his alleged crimes was discontinued in 2022 after the cases were deemed time-barred. Proceedings involving the second priest, identified as Tomasz K., remain ongoing.

Prosecutors argued that the bishop's delay in reporting the allegations had prevented some victims from obtaining justice, with the statute of limitations expiring in certain cases. They had sought a 10-month prison sentence suspended for three years, along with a financial penalty.

Jeż denied the charges, arguing during the proceedings that uncertainty surrounding criminal regulations and the circumstances of the individual cases had contributed to the delay in notifying state authorities. He maintained that the Church had initiated internal procedures before the allegations were referred to law enforcement.

Poland introduced criminal liability in 2017 for failing to report credible information about certain serious crimes, including the sexual abuse of minors. The offence carries a maximum prison sentence of three years, and the reporting obligation applies regardless of a person's position or institutional affiliation.

The conviction comes amid years of revelations about sexual abuse within the Polish Catholic Church and accusations that senior clergy failed to report allegations or allowed abusive priests to remain in positions of authority.

In 2024, the Vatican accepted the resignations of two Polish church leaders over negligence in handling abuse cases. Meanwhile, a 2025 survey by pollster IBRiS found that public trust in the Catholic Church had fallen to 35%, down from 58% in 2016.

Although Catholicism remains deeply rooted in Poland's national and cultural identity, repeated abuse scandals and questions over institutional accountability have increasingly challenged the Church's standing in the country. (ILKHA)