Six teenagers held after ‘hate crime’ murder of Polish man

Factory worker killed in shopping centre ‘because he was heard speaking foreign language’

SIX teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of the murder of a Polish man in a suspected hate crime.

Two Polish men were set upon outside a row of takeaway shops in Harlow, Essex in what police believe was an unprovoked attack on Saturday.

Arek Jozwik, 40, a factory worker, died of head injuries on Monday, while a 43-year-old man was treated for suspected hand fractures and bruising to his stomach. Police said one line of investigation was that it was a hate crime.

Mr Jozwik’s brother Radek made an emotional visit to the scene of the attack and said that other people in the area had suffered race-related attacks, and that there had been a surge in illfeeling towards Eastern Europeans since the Brexit vote.

He claimed the police said his brother whad been attacked while eating pizza “because they heard him and his friends speaking the Polish language”.

Paying tribute to his brother, he said: “He really was a family person who spent a lot of time with my kids.”

Arek Jozwik moved to the UK in 2012 and he and his mother had worked at a sausage production plant in Harlow.

His brother added: “My mum came back from holiday and did not know what had happened… She is really struggling.”

He said his brother spent a lot of time with him and his family. “We had seen him at 6pm on Saturday night and he was happy. He had been painting a room and was in good spirits.”

The attack took place outside TGF pizza in The Stow shopping precinct. One worker at the takeaway, who asked not to be named, said: “I went out to him – he was lying on the ground – but he was in a really bad way. There was blood coming from his ear.

“I pressed his hand but he was not responding. I did not expect him to recover from that.”

Det Insp Al Pitcher, said: “This is now a murder investigation and our inquiries have quickly led to the arrest of five teenage boys.

“Following this vicious attack, a man has sadly lost his life and I urge anyone with information to contact us as soon as possible.”

Police will be carrying out extra patrols in the area.

Jon Clempner, leader of Harlow council, said: “I am saddened and shocked by this brutal attack in our community.”

Four 15-year-old boys and one 16year-old boy, all from Harlow, were arrested on Monday on suspicion of attempted murder and then further arrested on suspicion of murder.

All five have been released on police bail until Oct 7. A sixth boy, a 15-yearold from Harlow, was arrested yesterday on suspicion of murder and is awaiting questioning.

‘I went to him - he was lying on the ground - but he was in a really bad way. Blood was coming from his ear’