Polanski freed to house arrest

Saturday, December 05, 2009

FILM director Roman Polanski was freed into house arrest yesterday after two months in a Swiss jail.

He was taken on £2.7 million (€2.9m) bail to his Alpine chalet in the luxury resort of Gstaad where his wife and two children were waiting for him.

Switzerland is deciding whether to extradite him to the US in a 32-year-old case in which he admits having sex with a girl of 13.

Polanski arrived in a police convoy. Two cars went straight into the garage which has direct access to the inside of the house. Polanski was hidden behind the vehicles’ tinted windows.

"Roman Polanski was today released from custody pending extradition and transferred to Gstaad, where he is under house arrest at his chalet," the Swiss Justice Ministry said. "Polanski has undertaken not to leave his house and property at any time."

Police in grey and blue jackets and private security guarded his property.

The 76-year-old will not be allowed to leave his house while Switzerland decides on his extradition and he will have to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Saturday, December 05, 2009