The trial regarding the drowning of a teenage scout in Lake Ośno started on Tuesday before the District Court in Wolsztyn (Greater Poland Voivodeship). The accused included 21-year-old team teacher Marek G. and 19-year-old WOPR rescuer Igor K. The trial was held in public.
On Wednesday morning, Katarzyna Błaszczak from the press office of the Poznań district court announced that the verdict in this case was issued on Tuesday, after the first hearing.
Sentence for the death of a scout in Lake Ośno. WOPR team leader and rescuer sentenced
The court found the accused Marek G. guilty of the offense and sentenced him to 1 year of imprisonment. The court conditionally suspended the execution of the prison sentence for a probation period of three years.
The court also found Igor K. guilty and sentenced him to 10 months' imprisonment. The execution of the imposed penalty is conditionally suspended for a probation period of 3 years. During the probation period, Igor K. was placed under the supervision of a probation officer.
The court also banned both defendants from holding any positions and performing any activities related to the upbringing, education, treatment of minors or taking care of them for a period of 5 years. The judgment issued by the District Court in Wolsztyn is not final.
A teenager drowned during a scout rehearsal
The tragedy occurred during last year's holidays. On July 24, 2025, in the town of Wilcze in the Wolsztyn district on Lake Ośno, a scout camp was organized by ZHR District of Lower Silesia. The teenager was a camp participant and at night he was trying to pass the exam for the "trainer" degree. This test involved swimming across the lake at night, in full uniform and footwear, for a distance of 500 meters.
At one point the boy disappeared under water. Firefighters from Wolsztyn, Kościan and Poznań were looking for him. Around 5.30 a.m., firefighters pulled the boy's body to the shore. According to the findings of the investigation, his tragic death was caused by the behavior of the defendants under whose care the injured party was on the tragic night - Marek G. and Igor K., who, while remaining on the pier during the scout test, did not provide the teenager with appropriate protection. They did try to help him, but their efforts turned out to be insufficient and the boy drowned.
Indictment and secret hearing
The indictment was sent to the District Court in Wolsztyn. On Tuesday, a 21-year-old teacher - team leader Marek G. - and a 19-year-old WOPR rescuer sat on the bench as defendants. The men were accused of exposing a boy under their care to direct danger of loss of life or serious bodily harm and unintentionally causing his death by drowning in Lake Ośno.
At the request of the defense attorney of one of the defendants and the attorney of the injured parties, the court kept the course of the hearing secret. Prosecutor Magdalena Kasprzak, who was present in the court, did not oppose the requests to exclude the public. Judge Łukasz Sozański justified his decision with "an important, justified private interest of the injured party".
The injured party, including: indicated, he did not want the presence of the media - said the judge. Journalists – in large numbers gathered in the court – pointed out, among others: that the openness of court hearings is guaranteed by the Constitution and that the case arouses great public interest and concerns the organization of camps for children and youth by ZHR. The court did not respond to these arguments.
