An “obsessively jealous” man has been found guilty of murdering his girlfriend - who may have still been alive when she was stuffed into a suitcase and thrown into the Grand Union Canal.
Tomasz Kocik, a 38-year-old forklift truck driver, had been caught on CCTV pulling the suitcase containing Marta Ligman half a mile along a towpath before returning home with wet trousers more than an hour later, on 1 May this year.
The 23-year-old's body was found in the water in west London 10 days later.
Post-mortem tests showed she died from hypothermia after suffering a beating.
There was no evidence she had drowned and the pathologist could not rule out the possibility she could have been alive when she was put into the suitcase.
Kocik, a Polish national who lived in Harlesden, north-west London, had admitted dumping the body but denied murder, claiming Ms Ligman died following a drug-fuelled sex session.
He had told the court that the couple had been taking amphetamines and having sex while at home between 24 and 28 April - claiming to have then found her dead on the sofa when he returned from work the following day.
Ms Ligman's Polish identity card and bank card was found burned and cut up by a member of the public along the route that Kocik had made when he disposed of her body.
Her friends and family in Poland grew increasingly worried and begged Kocik to go to the police. Kocik initially told Ms Ligman's relatives he thought she had returned to Poland and he had not tried to find her in order to give her some space.
The suitcase and strands of Ms Ligman's dyed red hair were seen in the canal in Little Venice, near Maida Vale, by houseboat occupants.
It was only the discovery of Ms Ligman's body - wrapped in bin bags and curtains - and that it was “all over the news” that finally led Kocik to report her missing, the court heard.
The post-mortem examination revealed Ms Ligman, a delicatessen worker who was 5ft 2in tall, had extensive bruising and multiple fractures to her ribs.
Kocik showed no emotion as the jury delivered its verdict yesterday. He was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on 27 November.
Detective Inspector Sarah McConnell said: “All the evidence points to an abusive relationship, during which Kocik was violent towards Marta in an attempt to control her every movement.
“After killing her and disposing of her body in an attempt to cover up his actions, he continued to lie to her friends and family about her whereabouts and deny his involvement - something he continued right the way through his trial.
“I am pleased for Marta's family that the jury rejected his lies. He now faces a lengthy custodial sentence, where he will have years to consider the devastating impact of his actions.”
The Independent
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