WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT – A victim of Vladimir Cheskidov told how she was raped ‘thousands of times’ and and subjected to repeated ‘violent’ acts of sexual humiliation
Vladimir Cheskidov the ‘Smoilinsky Maniac’ appears in courtroom
A man who abducted, imprisoned and repeatedly raped two women he kept as sex slaves will not face jail after a “sexological and psychiatric examination”.
Vladimir Cheskidov, 52, was convicted for the murder of one woman, named Oksana, who was dismembered at his home in Smolino village, Chelyabinsk region, Russia. His second victim, Ekaterina Belyankina, was abducted aged 19 and only managed to escape 14 years later.
Ekaterina was forced to wear a wooden head and neck noose with her body held in a crucifixion position whenever Cheskidov had gone out. She told police she had been raped “thousands of times” and and subjected to repeated “violent” acts of sexual humiliation while kept in a cramped room behind two locked doors. Her mouth was also taped so she could not call for help.
Despite his conviction in the murder, abduction and rape trial, Cheskidov – known as the ‘Smoilinsky Maniac’ – will not face jail after a “sexological and psychiatric examination”. He was declared “unable to control his actions” over the 14 year period, and was sentenced to compulsory hospital treatment for “intensive observation”.
Cheskidov was removed from the court in handcuffs after the closed-door trial and taken to a hospital. His diagnosis will be reviewed at regular intervals, and if it changes he could be released. During the trial Ekaterina came to court to confront her abductor in the secret trial. She has not spoken publicly of her ordeal.
“It was impossible [for her] to escape from this trap as the sadist invented a special device where he placed the woman during his absence,” reported Russian state TV.
A state investigator said: “Cheskidov used two sheets of chipboard with metallic staples to harness Ekaterina’s limbs. He placed wooden noose on her head [and neck]. Then he taped her face and mouth so that she could not call for help.”
Children’s dolls were found and investigators took away multiple sex toys used to torture her, according to evidence.
Beneath her room in a low-ceilinged cellar were found the remains of the other woman, who was around 30 when she was killed in 2011 or 2012. Some bones were found in a “saucepan”. A terrified Ekaterina had witnessed the other woman being killed in a barn owned by Cheskidov and had been threatened with the same fate if she disobeyed him, it was alleged.
His mother Valentina, 73, who lived at the same house, was seen by police as aiding her son in trapping the women. Her legal case has been treated separately. Ekaterina was made to play chess with him – and have sex, it is alleged.
Cheskidov claimed ahead of the trial that Ekaterina had been free to go. He alleged his relationship with her was one of “love”. His mother claimed: “She joined my son and lived like a queen…No-one kept her.” He said: “I didn’t do anything.”
When the charges were put to him in court he replied: “I don’t agree. I don’t agree with anything at all.” After the verdict, Cheskidov asked the court: “Where will they take me?” The judge replied: “You will be taken to a psychiatric medical institution.”
