Murder of Karolina Mikolajewska Feb 2006
Murder suspect was triple rapist
The prime suspect in the murder of Polish care worker Karolina Mikolajewska was a triple rapist. Clive Hayes, 54, served more than 20 years in jail before being released from Leyhill Open Prison in 1999.
He went on the run after police named him as someone they wanted to question in connection with the murder when his car crashed and exploded in flames into a shop in Thornbury. A man's body was found inside.
Her body was discovered at a flat rented by Hayes in Patchway. She had been battered to death. Clive Hayes has a record of sex crimes. In 1973 he was jailed for five years after admitting raping two 14-year-old girls in Leeds.
In 1976, five months after his early release he was handed a life sentence after being convicted of raping a 15-year-old girl at knifepoint. When Hayes was jailed for life at Leeds the trial judge, Mr Justice Boreham, told him: 'You have degraded a clean young woman.'
After his release, Hayes went to live in Awkley near Olveston and the parole board responsible for the decision to release him has said it will be holding an urgent review headed by a High Court judge into why Hayes was allowed out into the community after serving 23 years.
'Beautiful girl'
Bristol's Polish Consul, George Peszynski, travelled to their home in Ruda Slaska, near the southern Polish city of Kadowice, to offer his support and pass on messages of condolence from people in the West Country. He updated them on the appeal launched to repatriate Karolina's body. Mr Peszynski set up the appeal after Karolina's death when it became apparent that the family would be unable to afford to fly her body home.
The local priest, Father Jerzy Lisczyk, remembered Karolina as he prepared for her funeral. He said of the girl he once taught at school: 'She was a very good and beautiful girl... quiet and polite.' And he said there are many locals who are ready to follow in Karolina's footsteps to earn much needed money abroad. She left her home last October to work in Britain so she could send home money to her sick mother and finance her studies to be a doctor.
There is no shortage of transport to take young people from Poland to Britain, with nine coaches leaving a bus depot in the centre of Katowice every day bound for the UK. Back at the flat, Daniel says he is struggling to find work after studying economics at university and he is planning to travel to Bristol to help repatriate Karolina's body. Her return to Ruda Slaska will be of some comfort to her bereaved family.
In their compact two-bedroom flat on the fourth floor of a tower block, Karolina Mikolajewska's family sit together quietly on the sofa in their sitting room.
Karolina's mother Halina remains shocked by her daughter's brutal murder in Bristol two weeks ago. Karolina's 28-year-old sister Wiolletta, joined by her father Stefan and brother Daniel, 24, comforts her mother.. Daniel speaks about their grief, sense of shared loss and their gratitude to the people who donated money so Karolina's body could be returned to them. 'We know that you love Karolina as we do, that you have open hearts like we have,' he said. 'We wish you to never have the same situation, but we are very thankful for your support.'
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Police investigating the murder of a woman name the man they believe is their main suspect. The 54-year-old is wanted for questioning in connection with the death of a Polish careworker found dead in a flat on the outskirts of Bristol.
The family of a murdered Polish girl speak of their grief and of their gratitude to the people of Bristol whose donations mean her body can be returned home. Karolina's 28-year-old sister Wiolletta, joined by her father Stefan and brother Daniel, 24, comfort her mother.
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