A former scout group leader from the northwestern region of Gorenjska has been sentenced to 20 years and three months in prison for multiple crimes against sexual integrity of minors he perpetrated for years.

The judgement, delivered by the Kranj District Court on 20 March, is not yet final as it can still be appealed, but the defendant remains in detention due to risk of reoffending.

Among a total of 19 counts of crimes, he was found guilty of sexual abuse of vulnerable persons, of sexual violence, violation of sexual integrity by abuse of power, sexual assault of a person under 15 and the offences of displaying, producing, possessing and transmitting pornographic material.

He perpetrated the crimes against a large number of youth when they were intoxicated and thus less able to defend themselves. In most cases these were minors who were entrusted to him as scout group leader.

He committed the crimes between 2015 and 2023, when a criminal complaint was filed against him. He has been in detention since September 2023.

He was found guilty on all but one count of the indictment because one count of sexual abuse of a vulnerable person had become statute barred.

Prosecutor Nadja Gasser had sought a 30-year prison sentence, but she is happy that the court followed the reasoning from the indictment. She will decide whether to appeal once she has received the judgement in writing.

The defendant and his defence lawyer did not come to the court for the reading of the ruling, the only part of the trial that was open to public, but watched it by a via video call.

The victims also filed several damages claims, but the court referred them to litigation.

The Slovenian Scout Association (ZTS) said this was the first time it was faced with such a shocking incident, of which it informed the public in September 2023.

After learning about suspicion of these crimes, the association took a number of measures to provide for a safe environment for scouts and members.

The suspect was immediately removed from all scouting activities and parents whose children might have been abused by him were contacted.

The association has also adopted a set of guidelines for volunteers and staff to provide a safe and inclusive environment for scouts, and protocols of action to follow in case of violence or other violations. It has also included training about sexual integrity in its training courses.