Man to be sentenced on Friday for manslaughter
A 29 year-old Polish man who was convicted of the manslaughter of his lover’s husband in Tralee a year ago will be sentenced on Friday.
Michal Kurowski, of Old Gallows Field, Tralee was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of the manslaughter of Michal Skotak (aged 32) at Racecourse Lawn, Tralee, on May 16, 2009.
The court had heard that Mr Kurowski had stabbed Michal Skotak, his partner's husband, during a row after a First Holy Communion party for one of the deceased’s adopted children.
The deceased and his wife, Anna Skotak, had separated in 2009 at which point Ms Skotak began a relationship with Mr Kurowski, whom she met at the Aman Factory in Tralee where they both worked.
On the afternoon of the killing Mr Kurowski drove Ms Skotak to Racecourse Lawn to pick up her children from the party.
Mr Skotak followed his wife and child out of the house shouting and carrying a brick which he then cast aside.
Mr Skotak discarded the brick and then by other means proceeded to break the rear-passenger window of Mr Kurowski’s car with his wife and child sitting inside.
Mr Kurowski got out of the car and a fight ensued during which Mr Kurowski, who was armed with a knife, stabbed the deceased three times in the chest.
Mr Skotak was driven by private vehicle to Tralee General Hospital where he died from his injuries some time later.
Mr Kurowski, who was arrested at the scene, co-operated fully with gardaí during the investigation and admitted using the knife.
He told gardaí during interviews he had been carrying the knife because of fear due to threats from third parties which he believed emanated from Mr Skotak.
The court heard that the deceased and Mr Kurowski had been involved in a previous physical altercation in February 2009.
Detective Sergeant Fearghal Patwell of Tralee Garda Station told the court Mr Kurowski had arrived in Ireland in 2005 and had been employed in the Aman Factory since October of that year.
He said Mr Kurowski had three previous convictions in Poland for threatening another person, burglary and attempted burglary for which he received monetary fines and was sentenced to a year in prison which was suspended for five years.
Det Sgt Gda Patwell agreed with Mr Sean Gillanne SC, defending, that prior to the killing Mr Kurowski had not come to the attention of the Irish police.
Mr Paul Greene SC, prosecuting, read out to the court a victim impact statement from the deceased’s sister, Yata Skotak, who lives in Poland.
Ms Skotak said Anna Skotak had been the love of her late brother’s life and he had died for that love.
She said her sister had been murdered in Poland six years earlier and the killing of her brother had brought all those awful memories back.
Describing her brother as a ’’very good man’’ she said his death was not natural and he had been taken in a very cruel manner.
She said; ’I have mixed feelings towards the accused anger, hatred and sorrow. I cannot and will not get over it.’
Mr Gillane SC, defending, asked the court to have regard to the fact Mr Kurowski had pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the beginning of the trial, although that plea was not accepted by the prosecution.
Mr Gillane SC also asked the court to bear in mind the very unusual finding in the case on behalf of the jury.
The majority verdict was accompanied by a written note from the jury specifying that Mr Kurwoski was guilty of manslaughter in self-defence having used more force than was objectively necessary but no more than he thought necessary.
Mr Justice Paul Carney ordered the accused be remanded in custody until sentencing on Friday.
