Tragic girl’s bedroom trashed by Polish serial burglar let into Britain
A POLISH burglar was allowed into Britain despite his appalling criminal record and went on to steal irreplaceable mementos of a girl who died of leukaemia.
Michal Baranowski, 33, had ten convictions for 17 offences of fraud, theft, burglary and robbery dating back a decade in his native country when he arrived in the UK six years ago.
He was on bail awaiting extradition last month when he broke into the home of near neighbours Robert and Anne-Marie Taylor as part of a ‘despicable’ crime spree.
The couple, who have two other children, lost their eldest daughter, Caitlyn, to leukaemia at the age of 11 five years ago. They were on holiday when Baranowski broke in and ransacked Caitlyn’s bedroom, which had remained untouched since her death.
The couple were ‘devastated’ to discover Caitlyn’s teddy bears had been moved, and a jewellery and sentimental necklaces stolen.
Yesterday a judge jailed Baranowski for three years and urged the Home Office to deport him after he had served his time.
Judge Geraint Walters, sitting at Mold Crown Court, said: ‘Given the despicable nature of this offence they might consider whether you should ever be able to remain in the UK, given the way you’ve breached the trust placed in you.’ About 28 items were stolen from the property in Deeside, North Wales, including a jewellery box from Caitlyn to her mother, and a pendant from one of her other children to Mrs Taylor. Both had great sentimental value, the court heard. Tragically, they have been melted down and lost for ever.
Also stolen was Caitlyn’s phone, games consoles and a camera and computer containing photographs and videos of Caitlyn. These items were recovered after they were traced to a pawn shop. In a moving victim impact statement, which was summarised to the court, Mrs Taylor described how she broke down in tears after realising Caitlyn’s room had been searched.
Sam Aynsley, prosecuting, said: ‘The family would go into the room on the anniversary of Caitlyn’s death and at Christmas. Now Mrs Taylor feels like they can’t go inside any more because they feel the burglary has taken that comfort away. She said she felt totally upset and devastated and describes breaking down and crying and feeling sick that someone had touched her daughter’s belongings.’
Baranowski, who admitted burglary, also asked for two more offences, of theft and burglary, to be taken into consideration. The court heard these related to thefts at homes of two other neighbours, on the same street, a month before he targeted the Taylors.
Deborah White, defending, said Baranowski, who lived with his girlfriend and step- children and worked in a paper recycling plant, was a diabetic and had mental health problems. She said he was drunk at the time of the burglary.
But Judge Walters said: ‘There is something particularly mean about going around burgling your neighbours. I find it difficult to imagine conduct more despicable.’
Baranowski is understood to be the subject of a European Arrest Warrant but no further details have been made public.