Brother took his own life after killing milkmaid over debts

A farmworker killed his milkmaid sister because he could not repay the tens of thousands of pounds he had borrowed, and then hanged himself when police were called to investigate her disappearance, separate inquests ruled yesterday.

The body of 27-year-old mother-of-one Danuta Domagalska was discovered in a shallow grave at picturesque New Moor Farm, Walworth Gate, near Darlington, County Durham, a fortnight after she went missing last August.

A major police operation had been launched by then and searchers had discovered the body of her brother Piotr Lawniczak, 31, hanging from a tree in dense woodland near the estate cottage that the siblings shared with her husband Marcin Domagalski.

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At Chester-le-Street Magistrates’ Court, coroner Andrew Tweddle held consecutive inquests into the Polish migrant workers’ deaths, which were attended by Mr Domagalski who was aided by an interpreter.

Detective Superintendent Adrian Green told the court that on the day Mr Lawniczak strangled his sister he was about to be exposed for taking money from the couple’s bank account.

He had already borrowed tens of thousands of pounds from the couple – money which he was due to repay but could not.

Mr and Mrs Domagalski, who worked at the dairy farm which is known for its ice cream, were saving to buy a home in Poland where they had a five-year-old son, Kuba. They hoped to return to their home country permanently after years of well-paid but hard work at the dairy.

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Mr Tweddle, after being assured there was no evidence of any other person’s involvement in her death, said Mrs Domagalska was murdered by her brother and recorded a verdict that she was unlawfully killed.

In the case of her brother, the coroner ruled that he killed himself.

After the hearing a tearful Mr Domagalski, who has since returned to Poland, thanked police for their efforts.

Outside court Det Supt Green said the murder motive was financial, and that the brother killed himself when he heard police were on their way to the farm.