Scout leader and lifeguard convicted over fatal 500-metre night swimming test in Lake Ośno

Suspended sentences and five-year bans

The District Court in Wolsztyn delivered its verdict on 29 September 2026, convicting 21-year-old scout troop leader Marek G. and 19-year-old WOPR lifeguard Igor K. for their roles in the drowning of a teenage scout. Judge Łukasz Sozański sentenced Marek G. to one year in prison, conditionally suspended for a three-year probation period. Igor K. received a 10-month prison sentence, also suspended for three years, and was placed under court probation officer supervision. The court also imposed a five-year prohibition on both men, barring them from holding any positions or carrying out activities involving the education, upbringing, medical care, or supervision of minors. The ruling concluded in a single session conducted behind closed doors, and the verdict remains subject to appeal.

Night swimming test at Lake Ośno

The fatal incident took place on 24 July 2025 during a summer camp organized in Wilcze by the Lower Silesian branch of the Scouting Association of the Republic (ZHR). The victim, 15-year-old Dominik from Witoszowa Dolnego near Świdnica, was attempting a physical trial to qualify for the "ćwik" scout rank. The task required him to swim across Lake Ośno over a 500-metre distance in darkness while wearing a full uniform, consisting of a sweatshirt, trousers, and heavy footwear. Dominik struggled during the swim and vanished under the water. Firefighters and dive teams from Wolsztyn, Kościan, and Poznań launched an emergency search operation, eventually retrieving the teenager's body from the lake at approximately 5:30 AM.

Investigation findings on safety failures

An inquiry led by the District Prosecutor's Office in Poznań established that the two supervisors failed to secure proper safeguards for the test. Rather than shadowing the teenager in a safety boat, Marek G. and Igor K. remained stationed on a wooden pier. When the boy sank, both supervisors attempted an intervention from the shore, but their actions came too late to prevent the fatal drowning. Poznań District Prosecutor's Office spokesperson Łukasz Wawrzyniak detailed the failure of the rescue effort.

They did indeed attempt to provide him with aid, but their efforts proved insufficient and the boy drowned.

Legal proceedings and parental reconciliation

The court convicted both defendants of exposing a minor under their care to direct danger of loss of life or severe health impairment and involuntarily causing his death. Prosecutor Magdalena Kasprzak did not oppose holding the trial behind closed doors after defense counsel requested privacy for the victim's family. During the investigation, Marek G. admitted that he had not provided proper safety measures, whereas Igor K. acknowledged his presence but denied criminal liability. Both men expressed remorse during the proceedings, and court records noted that they received forgiveness from the parents of the deceased teenager.