Miroslav Lacko, a former Roma activist and head of the Slovak branch of the European Network against Racism (ENAR), was sentenced to seven years and six months in a minimum-security prison for sexual abuse of adolescent boys. The district court in Prešov issued the verdict after Lacko, 45, pleaded guilty, the SITA newswire reported.
Lacko was charged with seven crimes, committed between summer 2009 and December 2012, the court senate said. The prosecutor charged him with contacting at least seven adolescent boys through the internet, and convinced them to send him naked photos of themselves for various gifts, like mobile phone or clothes.
According to the judges, the punishment is appropriate as Lacko cooperated with the prosecutor and confessed to committing the crimes which, he said, were affected by his sexual orientation and internet addiction, SITA reported.
The sentence is final and cannot be appealed, SITA wrote.
Lacko was very active within the ENAR. Last autumn he was involved in the cases of adoption of Roma children in the UK. He also organised various football matches at schools with Roma students near Prešov.
Source: SITA
For more information about this story please see: Well-known Roma activist charged with child pornography offences
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
