Life for Killers Who Tortured and Dumped Man’s Body in West Yorks
Detectives today hailed justice served after three men were sentenced over the savage murder and brutal cover-up of Dariusz Michalowski in Huddersfield and Calderdale.
33 Years Behind Bars for Tolwinski and Weber
At Leeds Crown Court on Thursday 26 October, Adam Tolwinski, 39, from Keighley, and Ernest Weber, 46, were both handed life sentences with a minimum of 33 years each for the horrific murder. They were also convicted of preventing a lawful burial and perverting the course of justice.
Piotr Weber, 43, from Middlesbrough, received six years for his role in the cover-up and preventing a legal burial.
Years of Police Work Unmask Killers
The trio’s conviction comes after a painstaking, years-long investigation by West Yorkshire’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, including appeals both in the UK and Poland. A breakthrough came in January 2020 when new information prompted fresh questioning, leading to Dariusz’s body being found in a remote patch of land in Mixenden by December that year.
Chilling Details of Torture and Cover-Up
The court heard how Dariusz, linked by marriage to the Weber brothers and acquainted with Tolwinski within the local Polish community, was lured to a flat in Huddersfield under the influence of drink and drugs on March 13, 2011. After a brutal assault lasting hours, Tolwinski delivered the fatal knife attack.
His body was then dumped in a rural spot known to the gang. Piotr Weber, learning of the murder the next day, played a key role in trying to hide the crime and mislead investigators.
Detective Superintendent Tony Nicholson said: “Dariusz was subjected to a horrific assault intended to brutalise and degrade him. It is hard to comprehend what was going through the minds of those who carried it out. “All parties then became involved in a detailed plot to cover up the murder and dispose of Dariusz’s body in an isolated rural location, denying him a burial and his relatives any answers. “Frankly it is hard to think of a more callous set of circumstances, especially from people who were his close associates. We are pleased justice has been served.”
David Holderness, CPS prosecutor, added: “Dariusz suffered unthinkable abuse before being cruelly killed by Tolwinski and Weber. “Their sadism was clear in the torture he endured. The CPS worked closely with West Yorkshire police to unravel the lies and win convictions. “Nothing can undo the suffering, but we hope this verdict brings some comfort to his family and friends.”
