The jury has retired to consider its verdicts in the trial of four men accused of murdering a father-of-two who was allegedly kidnapped in Birmingham and then set on fire. Birmingham Crown Court heard that Tomasz Samel, 45, was taken from his home in Raleigh Close, Handsworth, Birmingham, in a white van at about 8.45am on March 27, 2019.
Prosecutors allege he was then tortured, doused in petrol, and set ablaze following the loss of 10 million cigarettes worth £1 million, which had been seized by HM Revenue and Customs. Samel sought help after suffering 75% burns, banging on the door of a property in the village of Bickerstaffe, Lancashire. He was rushed to hospital but died in a specialist unit in Liverpool almost three months later on June 21.
Defendants and Charges
Neil Jones, Kevin Wooden, Kye Arthur, and Tobiasz Kozlowski all deny murder. Wooden, 46, of Alma Road, Banbury, Oxfordshire; Arthur, 35, of Copley Gardens, Bristol; Jones, 48, of no fixed address; and Kozlowski, 38, of Crosland Road, Kirkby, Merseyside, further deny a charge of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.
Kozlowski’s wife, Sandra Kozlowska, 38, also of Crosland Road, Kirkby, denies assisting an offender by helping him avoid detection. Jones has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, conspiracy to kidnap, and conspiracy to falsely imprison. Wooden, Arthur, and Kozlowski all deny manslaughter. Kozlowski further denies conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to falsely imprison, while Jones, Wooden, and Arthur have admitted conspiracy to falsely imprison and conspiracy to kidnap.
Judge's Instructions to Jury
High Court Judge Mr Justice Wall sent jurors out to start deliberations on Wednesday, instructing them to take as much time as needed to reach unanimous verdicts. He said: “There is no pressure of time on you – there is no right amount of time for a jury to take to reach verdicts. It will take you the amount of time you need in order to reach verdicts upon which you are all agreed.”
The jury is not sitting on Thursday and will resume deliberations on Friday. The trial has highlighted the circumstances surrounding Samel's death, including the alleged motive linked to the seized cigarettes. The court heard that the loss of the cigarettes, valued at £1 million, was a significant factor in the alleged attack.
Background and Impact
Samel, a father of two, was a Polish national living in Birmingham. His death has had a profound impact on his family and the local community. The case has drawn attention to the dangers of organised crime and the violent consequences that can follow financial disputes.
As the jury deliberates, the families of both the victim and the defendants await the outcome. The verdicts will determine whether the four men are convicted of murder or lesser charges, and whether Kozlowska is found guilty of assisting an offender. The proceedings have been closely followed, with the court expected to reconvene on Friday for further deliberations.
