LONDON MAN JAILED FOR LIFE IN BRUTAL GIRLFRIEND MURDER
Tomasz Kocik, a 38-year-old man living on Buckingham Road in Harlesden, was found guilty of murdering his 23-year-old girlfriend, Marta Ligman.The crime involved violent assault, as Kocik assaulted Ms Ligman and then concealed her body by placing her unconscious form inside a suitcase.
He transported the luggage and discarded it into London's Grand Union Canal.
During the trial, evidence indicated that Ms Ligman was likely alive when she was removed from their residence and taken to the canal.
CCTV footage demonstrated Kocik dragging the heavy suitcase for approximately half a mile and returning home with wet trousers about an hour later.
Judge Nicholas Hilliard commented that Ms Ligman endured severe blunt force injuries inflicted by Kocik.
Kocik received a life sentence with a minimum term of 18 years and six months.
The prosecution revealed that he attempted to cover his tracks by using her Facebook account to create a false lead.
The body was found wrapped in bin bags and curtains, lying in a fetal position in the canal.
Ms Ligman had relocated to London in 2012 after meeting Kocik through online dating from Poland.
Witnesses described Kocik as obsessively jealous and controlling.
In his defense, Kocik claimed he discovered Ms Ligman dead in their flat after days of engaging in bondage sex fueled by amphetamines, but this was not accepted by the court.
The case highlighted brutal violence and a deliberate effort to hide her death, which resulted in a life imprisonment verdict.
