Homeless Man Jailed for Manslaughter of Marek Smalec
Damien Lenihan, 37, with no fixed address, was sentenced to six years in prison for the manslaughter of 48-year-old Marek Smalec. The guilty plea came during a hearing at Harrow Crown Court on Thursday, 4 November.
Fateful Night in Hillingdon Hill
Lenihan and Marek were both staying at a property on Hillingdon Hill, UB10 when the fatal incident happened. Marek’s body was discovered in his bedroom on the morning of 5 July by another tenant.
A post-mortem revealed Marek died from a brain injury caused by a single blow to the head. No weapon was found, but witnesses reported the two men had argued shortly before Marek’s collapse.
Flight, Tampering & Arrest
On the morning Marek was found, Lenihan fled the property with packed bags. Police tracked him to a Telford hotel, where he was arrested on 9 July.
Investigators uncovered that Lenihan tampered with the property’s security cameras and deleted data from his mobile phone to cover his tracks. During police interviews, he refused to comment but later pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Detective Slams Lenihan’s Selfish Actions
“As soon as Damien Lenihan had attacked Marek, his first thoughts were for himself. He left Marek injured in his bedroom and promptly packed his bags and fled,” said Detective Chief Inspector Claire Hine.
“While he may not have intended to kill Marek, Lenihan would have known he had injured him – however, instead of calling for help he tried to cover his tracks; this shows the sort of person he is.”
She added: “This has been a terribly distressing time for Marek’s family but I hope Lenihan’s admission can help them move on from this tragedy.”
