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Polish trio get life sentences for murder of Catherine Wells-Burr Polish trio get life sentences for murder of Catherine Wells-Burr
(about 2 hours later)
A cheating Polish factory worker, his secret lover and her uncle have been jailed for life for murdering a university graduate.A cheating Polish factory worker, his secret lover and her uncle have been jailed for life for murdering a university graduate.
Rafal Nowak, 31, jealous Anna Lagwinowicz, 32, and uncle Tadevsz Dmytryszyn, 38, were convicted at Bristol crown court on Friday of murdering Catherine Wells-Burr, 23. Rafal Nowak, 31, Anna Lagwinowicz, 32, and uncle Tadevsz Dmytryszyn, 38, were convicted at Bristol crown court on Friday of murdering Catherine Wells-Burr, 23. The judge Mrs Justice Sharp imposed mandatory life sentences with minimum jail terms of 32 years on the three Polish nationals.
Trial judge Mrs Justice Sharp imposed mandatory life sentences with minimum jail terms of 32 years on the three Polish nationals. Wells-Burr, a Bath Spa University graduate, died as a result of a plot driven by revenge, jealousy and greed. With her death, the three defendants would secure a £123,000 life insurance payout and a half-share of a £137,000 two-bedroom house in Chard, Somerset.
Wells-Burr, a Bath Spa University graduate, died as a result of a plot driven by revenge, jealousy and greed. The murder was the result of months of secret meetings and phone calls between Nowak and Lagwinowicz, with Wells-Burr oblivious to her part in the so-called love triangle. Nowak and Lagwinowicz, who had been in a two-year relationship, met up for sex and to plot against Wells-Burr on up to 87 occasions and exchanged hundreds of phone calls on pre-paid sim cards.
With her death, the three defendants would secure a £123,000 life insurance payout and a half-share of a £137,000 two-bedroom house in Chard, Somerset. Nowak smothered his sleeping girlfriend with a pillow before Lagwinowicz and Dmytryszyn removed her body from the house and drove it in her red Ford Focus to a countryside beauty spot at Ashill. They placed Wells-Burr in the driver's seat and set fire to the car at 6am, 20 minutes after Nowak had clocked in at work at Numatic International, providing him with what he thought was the perfect alibi.
The murder was the result of months of secret meetings and phone calls between Nowak and Lagwinowicz, with Wells-Burr oblivious to her part in the so-called love triangle.
Nowak and Lagwinowicz, who had been in a two-year relationship, met up for sex and to plot the case on up to 87 occasions and exchanged hundreds of phone calls on pre-paid sim cards.
Burly Nowak smothered his sleeping girlfriend with a pillow, before Lagwinowicz and Dmytryszyn removed her body from the house and drove it in her red Ford Focus to a countryside beauty spot at Ashill.
They placed Wells-Burr in the driver's seat and set fire to the car at 6am - 20 minutes after Nowak had clocked into work at Numatic International – providing him with what he thought was the perfect alibi.
The defendants spent months leaving a false trail for detectives, creating fake profiles for Wells-Burr on adult websites and sending texts to her phone from a supposed mystery lover.The defendants spent months leaving a false trail for detectives, creating fake profiles for Wells-Burr on adult websites and sending texts to her phone from a supposed mystery lover.
Nowak, from Chard; Lagwinowicz, of Taunton; and Dmytryszyn, also from Taunton, denied having any part in the death but were found guilty following a seven-week trial. Nowak, from Chard, Lagwinowicz and Dmytryszyn, both from Taunton, denied having any part in the death but were found guilty following a seven-week trial.
During the trial, heavily-tattooed Nowak wept in the witness box as he insisted he played no part in the death of his "true love". During the trial, Nowak wept in the witness box as he insisted he played no part in the death of his "true love". But he failed to provide the court with any other explanation for how his girlfriend could have died.
But the cheating factory worker, who continued to have sex with Lagwinowicz while dating Wells-Burr, failed to provide the court with any other explanation for how his girlfriend could have died. Nowak, who has a wife and teenage son in Poland, told the jury: "Everyone blames me for something that I never done."
The father of one, who has a wife and teenage son in his native Poland, told the jury: "Everyone blames me for something that I never done."
The court heard that Nowak showed no emotion when police discovered Wells-Burr's body in her burnt-out car on the morning of 12 September.The court heard that Nowak showed no emotion when police discovered Wells-Burr's body in her burnt-out car on the morning of 12 September.
Lagwinowicz, who frequently shook her head and laughed in the dock when Nowak suggested she had been responsible for the killing, refused to go into the witness box. Lagwinowicz, who frequently shook her head and laughed in the dock when Nowak suggested she had been responsible for the killing, refused to go into the witness box. Dmytryszyn also did not give evidence in his defence during the trial.
Dmytryszyn also did not give evidence in his defence during the trial. Sharp told the defendants the murder was "a dreadful, pitiless crime committed in cold blood in gross breach of trust". None of the three showed any emotion as the sentences were passed.
"You murdered a fine young woman with everything to live for, for money," Sharp said. "Rafal Nowak, the images of you leading Catherine by the hand the evening before her death buying items for what you knew was her last meal are utterly chilling. Your only emotions have been for yourself.
"Anna Lagwinowicz, your conduct has been deceitful, manipulative and cruel. You played your full part in this wicked crime. So did you, Tadevsz Dmytryszyn. This was a murder with the expectation of gain. There were significant aggravating factors and no mitigation." The judge continued: "Many tears have been shed in this court but the only tears that anyone should shed are for Catherine Wells-Burr and her family – mother Jayne, father Philip and sister Leanne.
"Catherine was 23 years old when she was murdered. She was a beloved daughter and sister, beautiful, bright and hard-working. Her family had every reason and still have every reason to be proud of her."
She said Wells-Burr had met Nowak as she worked on the production line at the Numatic factory during her summer holiday in 2010. "I suspect even then her family had their reservations. But because they are decent and kind people and because they loved their daughter, they opened their hearts and home and treated the man she loved as a son.
"What they could never have known was that behind the mask Nowak presented to them was a man without scruples or decency."
The judge said Nowak and Wells-Burr bought a house together and took out life insurance, but within a matter of weeks Nowak was secretly seeing his ex-partner Lagwinowicz. Nowak and Lagwinowicz then began plotting the murder together.
"It was all about the money," the judge said. "Nowak and Catherine had no ties, they were not married, there were no children. The murder of Catherine was motivated by money, selfishness and greed and, in the case of Lagwinowicz, jealous and a desire for revenge."
Sharp read statements from Wells-Burr's mother, Jayne, 46, and sister Leanne, 21. The mother wept in the public gallery as her statement was read to the court.
It said: "Catherine was a considerate, loving, sincere, generous, loyal, caring, exceptional and amazing girl. She had a bright promising future ahead of her with so much potential. As her parents, Phil and I were so very proud of the young woman she had become.
"Catherine, Leanne, Phil and I are a close family, we loved spending time together. Our world has fallen apart. The pain weighs heavily in our hearts. Some days it is unbearable. We are shells of the people we used to be and heartbroken.
"The manner of Catherine's death, the cruel, calculating wicked murder and the hatred shown to her will haunt us for the rest of our lives. "I didn't get the chance to say goodbye or to tell her I loved her or for Catherine to say 'I love you Mummy'."
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