Mum’s plea
A Rutherglen woman whose son was murdered by a Polish man has called on new prime minister Theresa May to boot EU nationals with criminal pasts out of the UK. Elsie Guidici’s son Mark was battered and strangled to death by Marek Kepczynski in June 2013.
A Rutherglen woman whose son was murdered by a Polish man has called on new prime minister Theresa May to boot EU nationals with criminal pasts out of the UK.
Elsie Guidici’s son Mark was battered and strangled to death by Marek Kepczynski in June 2013.
The pair met at a party in Toryglen where 42-year-old Mark acted as an interpreter for the Pole and introduced him to friends.
But after returning to Mark’s flat in Toryglen, Kepczynski turned on his host, kicked and stamped on his head before strangling him, inflicting 31 separate injuries.
Kepczynski was sentenced to at least 14 years in prison in 2014.
Following Kepczynski’s conviction, Elsie tracked down the Pole’s girlfriend who claimed he had been in jail three times in his homeland.
In 2011, when she was home secretary, Mrs May vowed to kick out immigrants who committed crimes in the UK.
Elsie, 64, has now started a petition calling on the now prime minister do as she promised.
She told the Reformer: “It is horrendous that he (Kepczynski) is still here, in a Scottish jail.
“He’s got family here, so that’s good for him, but he took my son away and it doesn’t get any easier for me or my family. I sit thinking about him in prison with a TV, email and visits from his family.
“They should send him back to where he came from.
“He can put in for parole after 14 years and start living his life, but I believe because of his background he will do something again.”
Speaking about what Mrs May said five years ago, Elsie added: “She made a statement saying that any EU criminal committing crimes here would get deported.
“Now she is prime minister, I want to know if she’s going to stay true to her word.”
Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP, Margaret Ferrier said: “Those with a criminal record, and in particular with violent convictions, should not simply be able to move to another country to escape their past.
“Measures must be in place to stop this happening.”
It’s horrendous he is still here, in a Scottish jail... they should send him back to where he came from