Man arrested in Poland for allegedly holding and abusing a woman for over 5 years

WARSAW, Poland – Prosecutors in southwestern Poland say a man has been arrested on suspicion of holding a woman captive for more than five years and physically and mentally abusing her with “particular cruelty.”

Prosecutors in the city of Legnica say the abuse began in January 2019 and continued until last week in the village of Gaiki near Glogow.

They only identify the suspect as 35-year-old Mateusz J., in accordance with Polish data protection law.

They say the woman, now 30, was held in an unheated building without water or toilets. There he repeatedly sexually and physically abused her and gave her only limited access to food and water.

They say he humiliated and controlled the woman, isolating her and leading her out with only a hood over her eyes.

Local news agencies in Glogow report that he held the woman captive in a shed on his family's farm. His elderly parents told local news they knew nothing about the situation.

The man was arrested after taking the woman to a hospital for treatment of a dislocated shoulder on Tuesday. At the hospital, the woman informed staff of her situation.

The man was questioned and, according to prosecutors, denies any wrongdoing. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.