How ‘cold case’ murder that saw Teesside man jailed was solved …

A Teesside man has been put behind bars more than 12 years after the unsolved disappearance and murder of a Yorkshire man.

For 12 years, Dariusz Michalowski's devastated family waited for him to return to his Huddersfield home, or pick up the phone to speak to his wife and daughter - but sadly that day never came. The man, who had gone missing in March 2011, had already been murdered and his body buried in rural Yorkshire ground.

Over the last 12 years, three men watched over their shoulders waiting for the day that their game would be up and they would be caught for their part in the heinous murder. Now, after years of uncertainty, Teesside man, Piotr Weber - cousin of Dariusz's wife - has been put behind bars for taking a 'leading role^[1] in efforts' to cover up the crime.

On March 15 2011, Dariusz Michalowski was reported missing at Huddersfield Police Station by his wife's cousin, Piotr Weber, of Bridgend Close in Grangetown^[2]. In 2015, he and his brother Ernest were arrested but each of them denied to answer questions and were released from custody.

With Dariusz still missing, no evidence and no body, the trail ran cold, Yorkshire Live reports^[3]. During that time, Dariusz's daughter and wife awaited news. His daughter started to grow up and would ask Father Christmas to bring her father back. In court on Thursday, a statement from her mother and Dariusz's wife, Edyta, was read out.

In it, she said: "My child was constantly waiting for a phone call from her dad but to no avail...She would very often wake up at night crying thinking her dad was lying next to her....Every year my daughter would send a letter to Santa asking for help in finding her dad."

It was only in 2020 when The West Yorkshire Police^[4] Homicide and Major Enquiry Team asked a Detective Superintendent to cast a fresh pair of eyes on the evidence that the truth came to light. It was said the detective asked another man, known to Dariusz in the Polish community, be brought in as a suspect.

In the trial opening at Leeds Crown Court^[5] in September, Richard Horwell told jurors: "There had been a certain disparity in treatment - they [the Weber brothers ] had been interviewed - he had not."

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The man's phone number had engaged in a 28-second phone call with Dariusz's the day he vanished and he was the last known person to have contact with him. He was interviewed in August 2020 and despite claiming not to know what had happened to Dariusz, he was released and a month later police received a phone call from his solicitor and "his position was made clear."

He wanted guarantees that he would be treated as a prosecution witness and not a defendant. Guarantees were not given for a long while, but before they were, the man led officers to Dariusz's body, putting himself at risk of prosecution.

The man said he had known Dariusz as he had also worked at times at the Weber's garage and said that Dariusz had also lived with him for a short period. He said the day Dariusz disappeared he was assaulted by both Ernest Weber and Adam Tolwinski, and that Tolwinski had killed Dariusz with a knife.

Both were high on amphetamine and had been drinking vodka before the fatal attack, which the court^[10] heard on Thursday had gone on for around three hours at Macaulay Road, Birkby, where Tolwinkski and Dariusz lived with another man. When their flatmate went to work, the assault got worse.

Mr Horwell said the beatings continued and "became more aggressive" and "after about an hour, Dariusz was crying and shaking and was bleeding from wounds to his face."

The court was told Dariusz was told to wash and bathe a number of times and also ordered to carry out sexual acts on Weber's dog. Mr Horwell said: "This happened twice and Ernest Weber made a joke of it." He was also made to eat the contents of an ashtray and told to wash again.

The prosecutor said the man told police: "When he came out of the bathroom he was naked and remained until the time he was murdered. The beating continued and again he was told to wash and went to the bathroom one more time. He came out and sat down and the beating continued. He ended up on the floor.

"Ernest Weber went into the kitchen and took a knife from a knife block. The blade was around 30cm or 12 inches long. Ernest Weber then knelt down and Adam Tolwinski bent down at the head of Dariusz Michalowski. Ernest Weber then brought the blade of the knife into contact with his neck. He moved the knife as if he was sharpening it against his skin.

"Adam Tolwinski then took the knife and stabbed him in the neck. Ernest Weber looked at Adam Tolwinski, touched his face and said something like 'And you did it, finally you did it."

The court was told that the man was forced to help clean up the crime before going with the murderers to help bury the body. It was said another man, who knew an area near Mixenden Reservoir he used for fishing, was asked to go with them to find the location. Residents living in the nearby area called police are noting "suspicious activity," and they were almost caught.

Tolwinski drove ahead with Dariusz's body in his Audi while Tolwinski, the witness and the man they had taken with them told police they were "looking for vodka." They were given a lift into Halifax by officers and Tolwinski hid the body in farmland before returning to Huddersfield.

After he sentenced the trio - Tolwinski and Ernest Weber for life with a minimum term of 33 years and Piotr Weber for six years on Thursday, His Honour Judge Tom Bayliss KC told Leeds Crown Court: "No one knew anyone had been murdered that night. When they got there, there was a car and three men who had been drinking and nothing more of suspicion and if anyone thinks with the benefit of hindsight that they should have done more, that's I'm afraid not realising the pressures officers were under every day and the need for them to carry on with their duties.

"There's an irony they took three men away from the scene, but no more than that and no culpability on behalf of the police. I want to make that absolutely clear to the public and police. They couldn't have done anything to prevent the murder taking place."

The court was told it was the next day that Piotr Weber took control, directing the burial of Dariusz's body. They returned to it, with the witness and yet another man and Dariusz's body was buried where it remained for nine-and-a-half years.

Andrew Ford KC, mitigating on behalf of Piotr Weber, said: "It has the character of Piotr being made aware and taking the initiative rather than being recruited. That is thoughtless, pretty blunt behaviour. References speak well of him and there is something to be advanced. It was a question of 'this is what happened last night' and he snapped."

The judge said: "It's not concealing the body - he's not leading in that, but he is leading in the perversion. Family loyalty maybe..." Mr Ford responded: "The referees speak well of him. There is some personal mitigation to be advanced against a sentence of what will be several years.

“He has always worked, he has family responsibilities. That must carry some small weight...He is only 43. He is not likely to reoffend. He was not amongst the worst..."

National Crime Agency officers who dealt with the witness were commended after the sentencing hearing on Thursday, for their "professionalism which was quite remarkable."

Ernest Weber refused to face the court as he was sentenced, but Judge Bayliss said his remarks would be sent to him. Both he and Tolwinski face 33 years behind bars.

They took a life and many will wonder how they managed to keep that hidden until now. Dariusz's wife and daughter finally have the answers and justice after years of being forced by their own family to wonder what had happened to him. In her statement, Dariusz's wife said: "I cannot comprehend how a man could kill another man and sit calmly in a courtroom thinking he is innocent."

References

1. ^{^} has been put behind bars for taking a 'leading role (www.gazettelive.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Grangetown (www.gazettelive.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Yorkshire Live reports (www.examinerlive.co.uk)
4. ^{^} West Yorkshire Police (www.examinerlive.co.uk)
5. ^{^} Leeds Crown Court (www.examinerlive.co.uk)
6. ^{^} click this link and select 'Join Community (chat.whatsapp.com)
7. ^{^} Teesside Live (www.gazettelive.co.uk)
8. ^{^} can read our Privacy Notice (www.reachplc.com)
9. ^{^} Click here to join our WhatsApp community (chat.whatsapp.com)
10. ^{^} court (www.examinerlive.co.uk)