Daniel Szcezyelak jailed for life for the murder of Nigel Orr-McAuley

A Polish man was jailed for life on Tuesday after he admitted stabbing a man to death in the defendant’s home.

With a jury sworn in and ready to hear the trial of Daniel Szcezyelak at Downpatrick Crown Court, defence KC Arthur Harvey asked for the single charge to be read out to the 37-year-old again.

Standing in the dock and with the jury watching on, Szcezyelak said simply “guilty” to the charge that he murdered Nigel Orr-McAuley on a date unknown between 12-15 July 2021.

The 53-year-old victim, who had been a financial advisor and involved in the Boys Brigade in Bangor, was stabbed to death at Szcezyelak’s home on the Beatrice Road in Bangor.

Following his 11th hour dock confession, Judge Geoffrey Millar KC told the self-confessed killer “there is only one sentence that this court can impose and that is life imprisonment.”

“In due course I will conduct a hearing to determine the length of time you must serve in custody before you maybe considered for parole,” the judge told Szcezyelak.

“That will be a decision taken at that time by the parole commissioners and thereafter, you will remain on licence for the remainder of your days and if you breach the terms of that licence you will be liable to recall to prison.”

Judge Millar told Mr Harvey he already had multiple psychiatric reports which had been prepared at an earlier stage and the senior barrister confirmed the only extra report would be a pre-sentence probation report.

Prosecuting KC Philip Mateer told the court he would be seeking to lodge Victim Impact Statements from Mr Orr-McAuley’s grieving relatives.

Remanding Szcezyelak into custody and thanking the jury for their attendance, Judge Millar told the killer he would reconvene the court to fix his minimum tariff on 20 October.

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