Polish man jailed for life for murder of 'defenceless' victim

A Polish man has been jailed for life for the murder of one of his fellow countrymen in a park in Leeds.

The body of 57-year-old Waldek Mural was found by a couple walking their dogs in Burley Park in September last year. He had died from chest and neck injuries including eleven rib fractures and a tear in the aorta blood vessel.

Grzegorz Kowalczyk, who was captured on CCTV entering the park with Mr Mural, was found guilty of murder by a jury at Leeds Crown Court.

The pair were seen in good spirits drinking beer as they walked to Burley Park. But Mr Justice Edis said 'something happened' to make Kowalczyk lose his temper, and subject Mr Mural to a 'brief but ferocious' assault.

He said Kowalczyk's decision to try to 'get away with it' had led him not to seek help.

After he left the park, Kowalczyk was seen buying some lager and a bottle of water at a supermarket in Cardigan Lane and was captured on CCTV crouching down and washing his hands with the water. He later tried to claim it was because the bottles had been sticky.

He also had his hair cut shorter and gave various accounts of how his knuckles were swollen.

Mr Justice Edis said however he was not a 'sophisticated man' and, having made up a number of explanations for his hand injury, was 'unable in evidence even to remember which lie you were supposed to be passing off.'

42-year-old Kowalczk had one previous conviction in Poland for robbery in 1993. He came to England in 2014 with a promise of work which fell through. His lawyer, Peter Moulson QC, said he had survived for a time visiting soup kitchens and rummaging through bins.

After the case Temporary Detective Superintendent Jim Dunkerley of West Yorkshire Police said:

Kowalczyk must serve a minimum of sixteen years behind bars.