Murder victim’s family praised for their dignity

Patrycja Wyrebek, 20, was found dead at her Newry home in August 2020.

Her boyfriend, Dawid Lukasz Mietus, admitted murdering her in April.

Appearing at Laganside courts yesterday, the 25-year-old was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years’ imprisonment.

The sentence was welcomed by the PSNI.

Detective Inspector Mark Gibson said: “Patrycja died of strangulation. The post-mortem also revealed multiple injuries and bruising on her face and body.

“Mietus, having initially tried to hide any involvement, later claimed that Patrycja’s death was accidental. He maintained that she had died during sexual intercourse, as a result of consensual asphyxiation.”

He continued: “Throughout this investigation, officers worked closely with prosecutors from the Public Prosecution Service. Due to the diligence of the investigation team, an abundance of evidence was gathered against Mietus, and he eventually confessed that he had strangled Patrycja after a domestic incident.

“This has been a particularly painful and distressing ordeal for Patrycja’s family, who remain absolutely heartbroken. They’ve had an agonising wait of over a year and a half to hear Mietus finally admit the truth.”

Bronach McAuley, the senior public prosecutor responsible for the case, said: “Firstly, I want to recognise the bravery and dignity of Patrycja Wyrebek’s family, who have endured unimaginable pain since she was brutally murdered by Dawid Mietus on August 2 2020.

“Patrycja, who was aged 20 at the time of her death, was a much-loved young woman who had moved to Northern Ireland from her native Poland with her family as a young child.

“The PPS worked with police from the very beginning of their investigation to build a strong prosecution case, which resulted in Mietus having no option but to plead guilty to murder.”

She added: While nothing can bring her back, we hope that the conclusion of this case brings them some measure of comfort as they try to rebuild their lives.”