He pled down to unlawful sex with a minor. The
original charges (which he'd have gone to trial on if he hadn't plead down to lesser charges or rejected the deal instead of fleeing jurisdiction were:
1.
Furnishing a controlled substance to a minor. He gave her quaaludes.
2.
Lewd or lascivious act upon a child under fourteen. He touched her in illegal ways even if he didn't have sex with her.
3.
Unlawful sexual intercourse. He also had sex with her.
4.
Rape by use of drugs. Even if she were old enough to consent he rendered her incapable by giving her booze and quaaludes.
5.
Perversion. He performed oral sex on her. Ok, not a crime in itself these days but she was unwilling and 13.
6.
Sodomy. He performed anal sex on her. Ok, not a crime in itself these days but she was unwilling and 13.
Whether one feels that time has ameliorated things somewhat or that Polanski was mistreated by the original judge, it is very much worth keeping in mind that he did an awful thing. That he has not denied doing the awful thing, and that he hasn't ever really expressed remorse so much for having done an awful thing as for how the awful thing has ruined his life.
She was in no way a willing participant in what happened to her. And even if she had been, she was of an age almost universally regarded as being incapable of giving consent to a 44 year old man.