Four men have been convicted of the murder of a father who was abducted, tortured and set alight in a revenge attack linked to a £1m cigarette seizure.
Attack and Abduction
Tomasz Samel was kidnapped from his home in Raleigh Close, Handsworth, Birmingham, in March 2019 by men posing as INTERPOL officers, the court was told. He was bundled into a white Peugeot van and driven to Liverpool, where he was doused in petrol and set ablaze.
The 45-year-old suffered burns to 75 per cent of his body before being abandoned in an isolated location. He managed to raise the alarm and seek assistance, but died in hospital three months later.
Verdicts and Sentencing
Following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court, a jury deliberated for just over 11 hours before returning verdicts on Wednesday, August 12. Tobiasz Kozlowski, 38, from Kirkby, Merseyside, and Neil Jones, 48, of no fixed address, were found guilty of murder and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.
Kevin Wooden, 46, from Banbury, and Kye Arthur, 35, from Bristol, were cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter. All four men had previously admitted conspiracy to kidnap and falsely imprison.
Prosecution Response
Kozlowski's wife, Sandra Kozlowska, 38, also from Kirkby, was found guilty of assisting an offender. Sentencing was adjourned until October 9. The four men were remanded into custody, while Kozlowska was permitted to remain on bail.
Kate Seal, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "This was a brutal attack on a man who was kidnapped from his own home and subjected to horrendous violence. The CPS worked closely with West Midlands Police throughout this lengthy and complex investigation to pursue lines of enquiry and build a case using forensic, digital and witness evidence. Our thoughts remain with Mr Samel's family, who have endured unimaginable suffering, including witnessing his abduction from their family home. I hope these verdicts provide some measure of closure and reassurance that justice has been achieved."
