A father who was abducted from his Birmingham home, tortured, and set alight by an organised crime gang has been found murdered, a court has heard.
Tomasz Samel, 45, was targeted after HM Revenue & Customs seized £1 million worth of illegal cigarettes stored at his Aston business unit. He was snatched by men impersonating INTERPOL officers, bundled into a van and driven to Liverpool, where he was doused in petrol and set alight.
Mr Samel suffered devastating 75 per cent burns to his body and was dumped in a remote location, according to Birmingham Live.
The Attack and Aftermath
After the horrific attack, he managed to find help but died in hospital three months later, Birmingham Crown Court heard during a trial which concluded on Wednesday (August 12).
Following 11 hours of deliberation, a jury found Tobiasz Kozlowski, aged 38, from Kirkby in Merseyside and Neil Jones, aged 48, of no fixed address, guilty of murder and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.
Verdicts and Sentencing
Meanwhile, Kevin Wooden, aged 46, from Banbury, and Kye Arthur, aged 35, from Bristol, were cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter. All four men had admitted to conspiracy to kidnap and falsely imprison.
Kozlowski's wife Sandra Kozlowska, aged 38, also from Kirkby, was found guilty of assisting an offender. Sentencing was adjourned until October 9, with the four men remanded into custody and Kozlowska allowed to remain on bail.
Prosecution Response
"This was a brutal attack on a man who was kidnapped from his own home and subjected to horrendous violence," described Kate Seal, from the Crown Prosecution Service.
"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."
