A woman accused of murdering her banker boyfriend allegedly left his body decomposing in their bedroom for days after stabbing him with a kitchen knife, a court has heard.
Joanna Cierpka, 51, denies murdering Henrik Slotsaa, 52, at the couple’s home in Newington Causeway, Elephant and Castle.
Cierpka has admitted manslaughter, but prosecutors have rejected that plea as an inadequate reflection of her responsibility and are pursuing a murder conviction.
Jurors heard police forced their way into the flat on 15 March after Cierpka sent an email to family and friends saying she intended to take her own life.
Officers discovered Mr Slotsaa’s partially decomposed body in the bedroom. The prosecution said he had probably been dead for several days.
Victim suffered 14 sharp-force injuries
Prosecutor Danny Robinson KC told the court there was no dispute that Cierpka killed Mr Slotsaa by stabbing him with a kitchen knife.
The central issue for the jury is whether she is guilty of murder or whether her mental state at the time means her responsibility is reduced to manslaughter.
Pathologists identified 14 separate sharp-force injuries, including slash and stab wounds to Mr Slotsaa’s face, neck, arms and legs.
The prosecution said unusual wounds behind both knees may have represented an attempt to dismember his body.
When officers entered the property, Cierpka allegedly attempted to cut her own throat with an eight-inch kitchen knife before being disarmed.
She was taken to hospital with an injury to her elbow and later told a member of staff: “I killed my partner.”
Court hears relationship had deteriorated
Mr Slotsaa, originally from Denmark, worked as a banker at Citibank’s Canary Wharf office, while Cierpka had previously worked for British American Tobacco.
Jurors heard Mr Slotsaa had developed a friendship with a female colleague and had told Cierpka that he had “met someone else at work”.
The prosecution said Mr Slotsaa and the colleague met for lunch on several occasions. She told him she did not want to begin a relationship, and the pair continued meeting as friends.
The court heard Mr Slotsaa later discussed offering Cierpka £70,000 to leave the flat they shared.
Colleagues became increasingly concerned when Mr Slotsaa failed to attend work and could not be contacted.
The prosecution said messages continued to be sent from his phone, although it was unclear who sent some of them. Mr Slotsaa was probably already dead by 8 March, the court heard.
Cierpka denies murder but has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
The trial continues.
