Life for psychopathic rapist who snatched 'den' victim off street

Published on Wednesday 13 January 2010 21:36

A SADISTIC psychopath who snatched a woman off the street and subjected her to a horrific sexual ordeal in a filthy makeshift den was given a life sentence yesterday and ordered to serve at least ten years in jail.

Michal Marchlewski, 21, who has shown violent traits since primary school, was branded "a very dangerous man" by a judge who said the public needed to be protected from him.

The woman, 24, an Australian living in Edinburgh, was held captive for eight hours and repeatedly raped by Marchlewski, a Pole, and his cousin, Tomasz Kryczyk, 26.

Kryczyk killed himself before the case reached court.

Lord Bracadale said the gravity of the crime was so extreme as to be difficult to register.

"It is difficult to conceive of a worse ordeal for a woman. The experience is bound to have had a profound effect on her and her family. Every right-thinking person will be deeply shocked at such events," he added.

Lord Bracadale imposed an order for lifelong restriction, under which Marchlewski can be detained indefinitely. He said Marchlewski would not be considered for parole until he had served ten years, and he recommended that the accused be deported if and when the parole board decided he could be released.

The victim has returned to Australia. Her father travelled to attend the sentencing at the High Court in Edinburgh. He declined to comment.

Detective Chief Inspector John McKenzie, of Lothian and Borders Police, said: "The young woman showed great courage in coming forward to report the attack and her detailed description of the culprits led to a swift arrest. Her bravery is to be commended.

"Today's sentence cannot undo the damage caused to her life, but hopefully it can provide her and her family with some peace of mind that justice has been served."

At an earlier hearing, Marchlewski, of Cathcart Place, Dalry, Edinburgh, admitted abducting and raping the woman on 16 February last year. The court was told that, as the woman walked past two men on a footpath linking the Telfer Subway and Dalry Road, she was sprayed in the face with pepper and blinded for a few seconds. She was dragged down an embankment to a shelter created in the fire escape doorway of a disused industrial unit.

"She shouted and screamed for help, but to no avail," said the advocate-depute, Andrew Miller.

Kryczyk pressed a screwdriver against her head, and repeatedly told her: "Cash you go... no cash you die."

The panicking woman tried to give the men her bank card PIN, and Marchlewski left the den. Kryczyk began to sexually assault her. "She sensed that Marchlewski was watching all of this from outside the shelter, as she could hear him laughing," said Mr Miller.

Marchlewski also attacked the woman.

"She recalls Kryczyk raping her five or six times during the eight hours she was held by him and the accused. She recalls the accused raped her twice," added Mr Miller.

Eventually, she was told she could leave. She ran home, into the arms of her frantic husband. That same night, he began packing their bags to return to Australia.

In a background report, Marchlewski, who came to Scotland in 2007, was described as someone who "lacked appropriate restraints on his behaviour". Once, working in a meat factory, he had shown enjoyment while inhumanely slaughtering a pig.