Libby Squire murder accused tells friends he picked up a 'drunk girl' on same night Hull university student disappeared but denies it was her

Pawel Relowicz, 26, told both his work colleagues on separate occasions that he had came across a girl in the Beverley Road area who was either drunk or under the influence of drugs and offered to take her home.

Miss Squire, a philosophy student, vanished in the early hours of February 1, 2019, after enjoying a night out with friends in Hull. Her body was found in the Humber six weeks later.

Relowicz, who denies rape and murder, told one of his work colleagues Rafal Mrowczynski that he had offered to take a girl home he had found crying on the street late on January 31, 2019.

Mr Mrowczynski said: "He said the girl was crying and asking for her mother.

"He said he drove along and she started to undress herself and started taking off her pants and he got scared and told her to get out of the car and she walked off."

Mr Mrowczynski said he told Relowicz the following day to tell the police about the encounter after he became aware a girl was missing from Hull.

Mr Mrowczynski said: “I told him and he said ‘it wasn’t the same girl’ and I said ‘How do you know?’ and he said because he saw her picture."

Sheffield Crown Court also heard how Relowicz told his friend Darius Chrostek about a girl he had picked up waiting near a bus stop, who had "tried it on" with him, but did not say it was Miss Squire despite a later discussion about the missing student.

Mr Chrostek said: "He told me she asked if he would give her a lift home, he said he would and during the journey she tried to try it on with him."

Mr Chrostek said Relowicz told him the girl “started to undo his trouser belt and he stopped the car and told her to get out.

Mr Chrostek said:“He said she started shouting and scratched Pawel on the face.”

Mr Chrostek said he could see “two or three” scratches on Relowicz’s face.

When interviewed by police about the scratches, Relowicz told officers his younger son had done it when they were playing.

The jury also heard from Brian Thornton, who lives in the same street as Relowicz, saw him cleaning his car at around 1.30pm on February 1, despite Relowicz telling police he had never cleaned the inside of his vehicle.

The prosecution allege that Relowicz "persuaded or forced" Miss Squire into his car before driving her to Oak Road playing fields in Hull where he raped and murdered her before pushing her into the River Hull.Transcripts of Relowicz's several police interviews were read out in court on Wednesday.

Relowicz was quizzed by detectives about witnesses who heard screams coming from Oak Road playing fields on the night Miss Squire disappeared and CCTV footage placing Relowicz at the scene at the same time the screams were heard.

Relowicz was asked if he could explain why he “could not hear screams” other witnesses could.

He said: “No comment.”

The interviewing officer said: "There is a pond in this area. Higher up is the River Hull. Are you aware of that?"

Relowicz replied: "No comment."

When asked if he went anywhere near the pond, the River Hull or Barmston Drains at Oak Road, Relowicz also replied "no comment".

The officer asked: "Have you brought Libby down here intentionally because you know it's isolated and attack her physically or sexually?"

Relowicz said: "But there are cameras, everywhere there are cameras."

Relowicz is then asked by police about two other witnesses hearing screams from the right hand side of Oak Road playing field.In a statement to police, he said: “I am not involved in the kidnap or disappearance of Libby Squire. I have already given a detailed account to the police and I have nothing else to add at this stage.”

The jury at Sheffield Crown Court previously heard evidence that Relowicz had convictions for a string of sex offences around the city, including near Miss Squire's student home.

When quizzed about a pink holdall bag found in the boot of his car containing sex toys, Relowicz claimed they did not belong to him, but would not comment any further.

Relowicz denies rape and murder.

The trial continues.