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Burglars admit attacking lecturer Paul Kohler in London home | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Four men have admitted a burglary during which a university lecturer was savagely beaten at his London home. | Four men have admitted a burglary during which a university lecturer was savagely beaten at his London home. |
Paul Kohler, 55, needed facial reconstruction surgery after the attack in Kings Road, Wimbledon on 11 August. | |
At Kingston Crown Court Pawel Honc, 23, and Mariusz Tomaszewski, 32, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and aggravated burglary. | |
Oscar Pawlowicz and Dawid Tychon, both 29, admitted aggravated burglary but denied causing GBH with intent. | |
Duct tape | |
All four will be sentenced in January. | |
Mr Kohler opened the door to the home he shares with his wife and four daughters at about 22:00 BST to someone he believed was one of his daughter's friends. | |
At this point the four men who burst in, shouting "Where's the money?" | |
The lecturer's wife Samantha MacArthur was threatened by two of the intruders who tried to tie her to a chair with duct tape. | |
Mr Kohler was knocked to the floor and one of the gang knelt above him holding a heavy wooden cabinet door, demanding to know where his money was. | |
He was only saved when police intervened after his daughter, Eloise, who had locked herself in an upstairs bedroom with her boyfriend, called 999. | |
'Ecstatic' at admissions | |
Barristers for the four defendants told Judge Susan Tapping that each wanted to express his "sincere regret and apologies" for what happened. | Barristers for the four defendants told Judge Susan Tapping that each wanted to express his "sincere regret and apologies" for what happened. |
Mr Kohler said he was "ecstatic and very pleased" at the men's admissions during the court hearing, during which they were hidden from his view by the dock's frosted glass. | Mr Kohler said he was "ecstatic and very pleased" at the men's admissions during the court hearing, during which they were hidden from his view by the dock's frosted glass. |
"I would like to meet them face to face, I would like to know why they did it, it is still a big mystery as to why they did it," he said. | "I would like to meet them face to face, I would like to know why they did it, it is still a big mystery as to why they did it," he said. |
Mr Kohler said he had been "great, fine and wonderful" since the attack but was still suffering physically. | Mr Kohler said he had been "great, fine and wonderful" since the attack but was still suffering physically. |
"I have continuing trouble with my vision on the left and my wife and children are still quite traumatised by this," he said. | "I have continuing trouble with my vision on the left and my wife and children are still quite traumatised by this," he said. |
Judge Tapping told the four defendants that "only very substantial custodial sentences will be appropriate". | |
Honc, of no fixed abode, Tomaszewski, of Crusoe Road, Mitcham, Pawlowicz, of Pitcairn Road, also in Mitcham, and Tychon, of no fixed abode, were remanded in custody until sentencing on 29 January. |