Swiss politician Patrick Frei to face trial for rape of Irish teen and her mother
Patrick Frei, a former Swiss People's Party official, is accused of drugging and raping an Irish teenager and her mother over 15 months. Trial is set for February 2027.
SVP politician faces court over alleged drugging and rape of Irish girl and her Polish mother
A former Swiss politician is to stand trial in February 2027 on charges of repeatedly drugging and raping an Irish teenager and her mother, The Irish Times reports.
Patrick Frei (57), a former member of the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP) and a representative on the cantonal government of Aargau, is accused of administering date-rape drugs to Paula — who was 14 when the alleged abuse began — and her mother Iwona whilst they were living with him in the Swiss town of Untersiggenthal.
Prosecutors say dozens of videos found on Frei's devices show both women being raped and sexually abused over the course of 15 months, during incidents when they were unconscious and retain no memory of what occurred. The first alleged incident involving Paula took place 12 days after she arrived in Switzerland. Prosecutors allege Frei abused her across 40 separate nights, amounting to a total of 40 hours.
Because the alleged drugging of the mother and daughter could have caused suffocation at any time, authorities have charged Frei with attempted murder in addition to multiple sexual offences.
From Spain to Switzerland
Paula, now 18, told The Irish Times she and her mother first encountered Frei whilst on holiday in Spain. Iwona and Frei began a relationship, and he subsequently made regular visits to the family in Ireland. In 2022, Iwona and Paula moved to Switzerland, where Iwona took up work as Frei's housekeeper.
The alleged abuse came to light in September 2023 when Iwona said she found Frei leaving her daughter's room one night carrying a GoPro camera. She contacted police, who reviewed the footage and arrested Frei immediately. He has remained in custody since.
Frei had been known within the SVP for taking a hard line on immigration and calling for tougher criminal sentences. He resigned from his position once the allegations became public.
Swiss media have drawn comparisons between the case and that of Gisèle Pelicot, the French woman who went public after being drugged by her husband and raped by dozens of men.
Deportation order and diplomatic response
A year after police began their investigation, Swiss immigration authorities issued a deportation order against both women. Officials argued that the work visa Frei had arranged for Iwona was fraudulent and ruled that, without income following his arrest, the pair were entitled only to emergency financial assistance rather than standard social welfare payments.
Police also launched an investigation into Iwona following a claim by Frei that she had stolen items from his home. Those charges were subsequently dropped.
As an Irish citizen, Paula sought support from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. The Irish embassy initially stated it could not intervene in legal matters, before later pointing to other possible remedies. Paula said she was disappointed by the response. "That broke my heart a little bit," she said.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed it is aware of the case and said consular assistance has been provided.
Earlier this month, a Swiss appeals court overturned the deportation order, allowing the women to remain in Switzerland for the time being. They have also been granted access to full social welfare payments. Authorities have separately announced an independent investigation into how the case was handled.
Trial set for 2027
Frei's lawyer said his client "disputes substantial parts of the allegations and, in particular, the legal characterisation of several of the charges." Frei specifically and "expressly" denies having administered date-rape drugs to the women, the lawyer added.
The case has caused significant public controversy in Switzerland, with the treatment of the mother and daughter in the aftermath of the alleged abuse drawing particular criticism.
Source: Irish Times