Irish Teen Allegedly Raped by Swiss Politician Was Nearly Deported After His Arrest

An Irish teenager who was allegedly drugged and sexually abused by a former Swiss politician has been allowed to remain in Switzerland after a court overturned an order to deport her and her mother.

Paula, now 18, was 14 when she and her mother, Iwona, moved into the home of Patrick Frei, a former member of the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP), in Untersiggenthal. Frei, 57, has been held in pre-trial detention since his arrest in 2023.

The Aargau Administrative Court ruled that Iwona retained her residence rights as a Polish national and that her employment contract with Frei was genuine. The decision allows the mother and daughter to remain in Switzerland while Frei faces charges including attempted murder and sexual offences. His lawyer disputes several allegations and denies that he used date-rape drugs.

Court Overturns Deportation Order

About a year after Frei's arrest, the Aargau Migration Office ordered Paula and Iwona to leave Switzerland. Authorities argued that a cleaning contract arranged by Frei for Iwona was fictitious and that she was no longer entitled to standard social welfare after losing her income.

The women appealed, and the Aargau Administrative Court overturned the order in a judgment dated 12 August, although the ruling is not yet final, according to Le Temps.

The court found that Iwona's cleaning contract remained valid because neither party had terminated it. It also ruled that she was temporarily unable to work because of the severe trauma described in the criminal indictment.

As a Polish national covered by Switzerland's agreement with the EU, Iwona therefore retained her status as a worker and her EU/EFTA residence rights. The ruling allows both women to remain in Switzerland and receive standard social welfare for now.

Alleged Abuse Uncovered In 2023

The case came to light in September 2023 when Iwona said she saw Frei leaving her daughter's bedroom carrying a GoPro camera. She contacted police, who arrested Frei and examined recordings found on the device.

Prosecutors allege the footage shows sexual assaults against Paula and Iwona on about 40 separate nights. They said the first alleged incident involving Paula occurred 12 days after she arrived in Switzerland and that Frei administered powerful sedatives that left both women unconscious.

Prosecutors subsequently brought an attempted murder charge, arguing that the alleged doses created a risk of suffocation and death. Paula and Iwona have said they have no memory of the alleged incidents because they were unconscious.

Frei has remained in custody since his arrest and is due to stand trial in February 2027.

Investigation Into Official Handling

The deportation decision has also prompted an independent investigation into how the women were treated by local authorities. The inquiry follows criticism of the decision to pursue their removal while the criminal investigation into Frei was continuing.

Paula, who is an Irish citizen, sought assistance from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs after the deportation order. She told The Irish Times she was disappointed that Irish officials could not intervene directly in Swiss legal proceedings.

A Department of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman said the department was aware of the case and had provided consular assistance.

Frei resigned from his political position after the allegations emerged. During his political career, he was known for taking a hard line on immigration and supporting tougher criminal sentences.

His lawyer disputes the legal characterisation of several charges and specifically denies that Frei used date-rape drugs. He remains in custody pending his February 2027 trial.