UK Court Upholds Extradition of YouTuber Stuart Kluz-Burton to Poland on Child Sex Charges

The High Court last week rejected Stuart Kluz-Burton's appeal and upheld the February 2025 extradition order issued by Westminster Magistrates' Court. Kluz-Burton, 34, was arrested at his home in October 2023. He faces two charges of sexual activity with girls aged under 15, one alleged to have occurred in summer 2015 and the second in August 2018, along with two further charges alleging he induced minors to drink alcohol in August 2018.

The Polish arrest warrant states the maximum penalty is 12 years' imprisonment. Kluz-Burton was born in London and holds dual British-Polish citizenship. He moved to Poland in 2014, where he began his YouTube career under the name Polish Penguin before adopting Stuu, and his channels grew to 4.1 million YouTube followers and 1.8 million on Instagram.

He later provided Polish-language dubbing for the film The Emoji Movie. He returned to the UK to support his mother, who has cancer and lives in Luton. Allegations against him surfaced online around 2023 as part of the Pandora Gate scandal in Poland.

Kluz-Burton argued through his barrister Joel Smith KC that the Polish judge who signed the warrant may have faced political pressure. Then-Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki issued a video statement on the day the allegations reached prosecutors, saying the case involved a man who used internet fame to harm minors and ordering quick action.

Kluz-Burton's arrest by Interpol followed 10 days later, the day before Polish parliamentary elections.

The High Court ruled the case a routine criminal investigation. Lord Justice Holgate and Mr Justice Johnson stated that political statements were directed at the public, police and prosecutors rather than the court, and found no evidence that the issuing judge lacked independence or impartiality.