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Wealthy widow killed by cleaner | Wealthy widow killed by cleaner |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A Polish cleaner who murdered a wealthy 94-year-old widow and went on a shopping spree with her bank cards has been jailed for life. | A Polish cleaner who murdered a wealthy 94-year-old widow and went on a shopping spree with her bank cards has been jailed for life. |
Jolanta Kalinowsica strangled Thea Zaudy at her home in Notting Hill, west London, and emptied her bank account of £10,000, Oxford Crown Court heard. | Jolanta Kalinowsica strangled Thea Zaudy at her home in Notting Hill, west London, and emptied her bank account of £10,000, Oxford Crown Court heard. |
Kalinowsica's son helped dump the body, stuffed in a suitcase, in a field in Milton Common near Oxford last July. | Kalinowsica's son helped dump the body, stuffed in a suitcase, in a field in Milton Common near Oxford last July. |
The 41-year-old cleaner was ordered to serve at least 20 years in prison. | The 41-year-old cleaner was ordered to serve at least 20 years in prison. |
The court heard Mrs Zaudy fled to Britain with her husband during World War II to escape Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. | |
The couple had no children and after her husband's death Mrs Zaudy was left with no close family and was "very comfortably well-off". | |
German refugee | German refugee |
Kalinowsica, from Cavendish Avenue, Ealing, west London, was found guilty of murdering Mrs Zaudy on Friday. | Kalinowsica, from Cavendish Avenue, Ealing, west London, was found guilty of murdering Mrs Zaudy on Friday. |
Her son Adrian Lis, 23, of the same address, was jailed for four years after being found guilty of assisting an offender in the disposal of a body. | Her son Adrian Lis, 23, of the same address, was jailed for four years after being found guilty of assisting an offender in the disposal of a body. |
She (Mrs Zaudy) was a defenceless, frail, elderly lady who was otherwise very much on the ball Judge Hall | She (Mrs Zaudy) was a defenceless, frail, elderly lady who was otherwise very much on the ball Judge Hall |
His girlfriend Monilca Sienkiewicz, 19, also of the same address, was cleared of assisting an offender by removing evidence and by the removal of a body. | His girlfriend Monilca Sienkiewicz, 19, also of the same address, was cleared of assisting an offender by removing evidence and by the removal of a body. |
Lukasz Gadja, 25, who lived in Ealing, was also cleared of assisting an offender by removing a body. | Lukasz Gadja, 25, who lived in Ealing, was also cleared of assisting an offender by removing a body. |
Jurors heard Kalinowsica and Lis, along with Lis's unwitting girlfriend, took the suitcase on a London Underground train before being driven to Milton Common where they dumped the body in a field and set light to it. | Jurors heard Kalinowsica and Lis, along with Lis's unwitting girlfriend, took the suitcase on a London Underground train before being driven to Milton Common where they dumped the body in a field and set light to it. |
No angel | No angel |
Judge Hall said of Mrs Zaudy: "She was a defenceless, frail, elderly lady who was otherwise very much on the ball". | Judge Hall said of Mrs Zaudy: "She was a defenceless, frail, elderly lady who was otherwise very much on the ball". |
He told Kalinowsica: "Having killed her, you went out and spent all her money in a spree of spending. | He told Kalinowsica: "Having killed her, you went out and spent all her money in a spree of spending. |
"The killing was utterly callous and thereafter you have been devious and manipulative in the way you got other people to help you." | "The killing was utterly callous and thereafter you have been devious and manipulative in the way you got other people to help you." |
Sentencing Lis, the judge said: "You are no angel but I'm not sure how much of a devil you are. I think you were drawn into this by your mother." | Sentencing Lis, the judge said: "You are no angel but I'm not sure how much of a devil you are. I think you were drawn into this by your mother." |
Thea Zaudy moved to Britain during World War II | Thea Zaudy moved to Britain during World War II |
Police believe Kalinowsica murdered her employer after being caught stealing money from a large stash she kept in the flat. | Police believe Kalinowsica murdered her employer after being caught stealing money from a large stash she kept in the flat. |
Jurors were shown CCTV footage of Kalinowsica and Lis, accompanied by Miss Sienkiewicz, lugging a heavy suitcase away from Mrs Zaudy's flat. | Jurors were shown CCTV footage of Kalinowsica and Lis, accompanied by Miss Sienkiewicz, lugging a heavy suitcase away from Mrs Zaudy's flat. |
But Miss Sienkiewicz had no idea what the suitcase contained and returned home when Kalinowsica and Lis were picked up by Mr Gadja at Ealing Broadway station. | But Miss Sienkiewicz had no idea what the suitcase contained and returned home when Kalinowsica and Lis were picked up by Mr Gadja at Ealing Broadway station. |
The trio drove to Milton Common where they set fire to the suitcase which Mr Gadja was told contained documents they had been paid to destroy. | The trio drove to Milton Common where they set fire to the suitcase which Mr Gadja was told contained documents they had been paid to destroy. |
Mrs Zaudy's charred remains were found a day later and police were able to make the connection when concerned friends reported her missing. | Mrs Zaudy's charred remains were found a day later and police were able to make the connection when concerned friends reported her missing. |
After the sentencing a spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: "This was a horrific murder of a 94-year-old lady who had survived considerable adversity in her life, only for her life to be taken by those she trusted." | After the sentencing a spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: "This was a horrific murder of a 94-year-old lady who had survived considerable adversity in her life, only for her life to be taken by those she trusted." |