Man arrested in Poland on suspicion of holding a woman captive and abusing her for over 5 years

WARSAW, Poland — Prosecutors in southwest Poland say a man has been arrested on allegations of imprisoning and physically and mentally abusing a woman for more than five years with “special cruelty.”

Prosecutors in the town of Legnica say the abuse started in January 2019 and lasted until last week in the village of Gaiki, near Glogow.

They only identify the suspect as 35-year-old Mateusz J., in line with Poland’s privacy laws.

They say the woman, who is now 30, was held in an unheated building with no water or toilet facilities. There, he repeatedly abused her sexually and physically and gave her limited access to food and drink.

They say he humiliated and controlled the woman, kept her in isolation and brought her out only with a hood over her eyes.

Local news outlets in Glogow say he had held the woman in a shed at his family farm. His elderly parents reportedly told local news they were not aware of the situation.

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

The man has been questioned and denies any wrongdoing, prosecutors say. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison.