Courage of woman buried alive praised as attacker convicted

Michelina Lewandowska, who is Polish, gave evidence against her fellow countryman Marcin Kasprazak at his trial at Leeds Crown Court after she managed to escape from the shallow grave where he buried her in a cardboard box near their home in Huddersfield.

Kasprazak had first attacked her with a Taser on May 28 after he decided he wanted to get rid of her but wanted to keep their son.

He and a friend, Patryk Borys, then bound and gagged her with parcel tape before putting her in the box, which had previously held a computer.

The pair then lifted the box into the boot of his car and it was driven to woodland off Woodside Road, Huddersfield where Kasprazak then buried it under soil, leaves and a branch weighing nearly 90lb.

But Miss Lewandowska used her engagement ring to cut the tape and clawed her way out of the box and make her way to a road. Exhausted she managed to flag down a passing motorist.

After the case Detective Chief Inspector Lisa Griffin of West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team commended her courage.

She described Kasprazak as “an unpleasant intimidator of vulnerable women” and said they had disproved his claim he was only trying to scare her.

“The victim in this terrifying ordeal demonstrated tremendous bravery and undoubtedly saved her own life by freeing herself from the box that Kasprazak had buried her in.”

“Now that Kasprazak has been found guilty of attempting to murder her, I hope that this brave woman will be able to move on with her life.”

Jonathan Sharp, Principal Crown Advocate for the Crown Prosecution Service Yorkshire and Humberside said: “This was a heartless and calculated crime and from which Michelina was extremely lucky to escape with her life.”

“No one involved in this prosecution could fail to have been impressed by Michelina’s bravery and determination and we would like to take this opportunity to pay public tribute to the immense courage she has shown.”

He said she had not only survived her unimaginable ordeal, but was “also been determined throughout to see justice done.”

The jury heard during the trial that the couple met in Poland and moved to the UK for work but the relationship deteriorated after the birth of their son in 2008.

Miss Lewandowska said in evidence by early this year they were living with Kasprazak’s parents in Penistone Road, Huddersfield. Although they had broken their engagement she had kept the ring on her right hand and still considered they were in a relationship.

Mr Sharp told the jury that it was the Crown’s case Kasprazak had in fact become bored with his partner but still wanted his son. He told her he saw more attractive girls at the gym he used.

He changed his status on Facebook to single and the night before his attack admitted seeing and kissing another woman.

Kasprazak, 26, denied he planned to get rid of his partner and claimed that day he intended to talk her into moving out but had lost his temper about her treatment of their son and used the Taser on her.

He claimed when he drove the box to the woods and buried it he only intended to frighten her so she would leave Huddersfield.

The jury found him guilty by an 11-1 majority of attempting to murder Miss Lewandowska but cleared Borys, 18, of the same offence. Both admitted kidnap and Kasprazak admitted possessing the Taser, a prohibited weapon.

Judge Peter Collier QC remanded both men in custody.

• MOTORIST Daniel Brockley was shocked to discover the figure flagging him down on a woodland road one night in May had been the victim of a horrific ordeal.

Michelina Lewandowska had just clawed her way out of a shallow grave where her partner had buried her alive in a cardboard box.

Covered in dirt and with leaves in her hair she asked him “Where am I, I need the police.”

She was distressed and he could see parcel tape around her neck.

“She told me she had been tied up and put in a box, she had then been taken to where I had found her and that she had been buried in it.”

Mr Brockley took her to his home and contacted the police. There was dirt on her clothing, hands and face. She was shaking and struggling for words.

She told the first policeman to see her that she had been tied up for some time before being put in the box and was suffering pain in her legs from being in a cramped position for so long.