THE GUILTY VERDICT
PREDATORY KILLER TO BE SENTENCED
PAWEL Relowicz has been found guilty of the rape and murder of Hull student Libby Squire.
Sex-crazed killer Relowicz, 26, of Raglan Street in Hull, intercepted Libby on Beverley Road in the early hours of February 1, 2019.
Libby had been on a night out with friends to the Welly nightclub on January 31 but had been turned away by doorstaff.
A taxi driver had dropped her off at her home on Wellesley Avenue, but a confused and drunk Libby walked away from her house.
She stayed at the corner of Beverley Road and Haworth Street, where Relowicz had parked his car.
Relowicz, already a predatory sexual offender who admitted he was looking for an opportunity to commit a sex act at a woman, walked past Libby and “stalked” her as she walked up Beverley Road before intercepting her
He then walked back down to Haworth Street with her and waited until the coast was clear before they both got in his car.
Relowicz then drove Libby in his silver Astra to Oak Road playing fields where he raped and killed her before putting her body into the River Hull.
Libby’s body was not found until March 20 the same year.
A post-mortem examination could not determine how she died but sperm cells matching the DNA profile of Relowicz were found.
Throughout the four-week long trial, jurors were shown extensive CCTV footage showing Relowicz’s and Libby’s movements before they met, as they met and their journey to Oak Road.
Witnesses gave evidence of what they saw and heard on the night of January 31 and the morning of February 1.
Sam Alford, who lived close to Oak Road playing fields at the time Libby vanished told how he heard “desperate” and “intermittent” screams coming from the direction of the river after midnight on February 1.
Mr Alford became emotional as he heard the screams and then told how he saw a figure “urgently” walking “with purpose” away from the area.
Prosecutors told the jury after leaving Oak Road, Relowicz returned home, had a bath and watched pornography before venturing back to the scene of the crime.
In another of a large number of evil lies, Relowicz told the jury he had gone out looking for Libby as he was “worried for her.”
Relowicz told the jury he had met Libby on Beverley Road and she accepted his help and an offer of a lift home.
He said she directed him in the direction of Beresford Avenue and went to turn around on Oak Road, but as she started to make noises as if she was going to be sick, he stopped the car and she got out.
He then sickeningly told how the pair had consensual sex and after, when he refused to kiss her because she had saliva around her mouth, she had scratched his face.
Relowicz said he got back into his car and left Libby
“alive and well” but screaming after him not to leave her.
However, Relowicz’s act of a knight in shining armour was just that.
After “checking” Oak Road, Relowicz was seen in Newland Avenue engaging in a sex act.
Chilling CCTV footage showed him pulling up in Newland Avenue and then speeding away to Alexandra Road when he saw a woman walking alone.
After parking on Alexandra Road he then stepped out into the shadows and masturbated on Newland Avenue.
Relowicz was later caught on CCTV looking for a condom he had used during a sex act before going back to his home on Raglan Street.
The condom was found just two days later by a student helping to search for Libby. DNA taken from it matched Relowicz’s profile.
Relowicz was arrested on suspicion of abduction on February 6, but was not charged with rape and murder until October the same year.
In August 2019, he was jailed for eight-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to nine offences including voyeurism, outraging public decency and burglary.
This sentence was reduced to five years and eight months on appeal in March last year.
His trial in relation to Libby’s rape and murder was due to take place in June 2020, but was pushed back until January this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Relowicz remained emotionless and straight-faced as the jury foreman announced the two guilty verdicts, which rang out loud and clear across the courtroom.
As with the rest of the four-week trial, Relowicz portrayed no signs of remorse. He remained silent and just stared straight ahead as he was taken to the cells by three dock officers.
Detective Superintendent Martin Smalley, Senior Investigating Officer in the case, spoke outside Sheffield Crown Court. He said: “I would firstly like to wholeheartedly commend Libby’s family for their incredible strength throughout the entire investigation and trial. I can’t comprehend how they must have felt over these past two years.
“I also want to thank all of my colleagues at Humberside Police, our partner agencies and the public who pulled together in their efforts to find Libby and who have supported our investigation from the outset.
“This has been one of the most challenging and emotional cases I’ve led on in my 30 year career as a detective, and I know everyone has felt as deep a personal connection to Libby as I have.”
Relowicz will be sentenced today at 2pm.
I would firstly like to wholeheartedly commend Libby’s family for their incredible strength throughout the entire investigation and trial Detective Superintendent Martin Smalley