Sławomir Wałęsa, son of the former president, will not go to prison for causing a road accident in 1992, a regional court in Gdańsk ruled Sept. 30. Wałęsa violated probation by causing another drunk-driving accident in Warsaw in 1995.

The court reasoned that Wałęsa is the sole provider for his wife and two children and did not cause the Warsaw accident intentionally. The court also cited the favorable report of Wałęsa's probation officer.

The decision caused a wave of criticism, including accusations of partiality and double standards, with critics saying that an ordinary citizen would have ended up behind bars.