A man who admitted killing his wife is to be sentenced in the new year after a plea to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility has now been accepted.
Rafal Winiarski, 42, has always denied the murder of Malgorzata Lechanska, 37, whose body was found at their home in Lake Close, Shipdham, on August 1 2021. But a guilty plea to manslaughter entered earlier this year has now been accepted by the prosecution.
In a hearing at Norwich Crown Court on Thursday (December 14) Riel Karmy Jones KC, prosecuting, said the plea to manslaughter had been entered on the basis of diminished responsibility and loss of control.
She said Winiarski had now been seen by three psychiatrists and one of the prosecution experts was able to conclude it was "more likely than not" the defendant was suffering from "paranoid psychosis and delusions of jealousy" related to his wife.
It meant he did not have the ability to form rational judgement thereby affecting his decision-making at the time.
The prosecution barrister said as such his illness was a "significant contributing factor to the commission of the offence" and said the crown was now able to accept the guilty plea to manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility.
A trial date had been fixed for January 2 next year but Judge Anthony Bate formally entered a not guilty verdict on the charge of murder.
He adjourned sentence on the manslaughter conviction until a date to be fixed in the new year.
Emergency services were called to the couple’s home following concerns for the safety of Ms Lechanska.
She was pronounced dead a short time later.
A post-mortem examination revealed she died as a result of a severe head injury.
An axe was found near her body.
Mrs Lechanska, a mother-of-two, had previously worked at Center Parcs near Thetford.
A spokesman for the holiday resort paid tribute to her and said: "Malgorzata was a highly regarded and popular member of the housekeeping team and she will be truly missed," they added.
Neighbours of the couple also described their shock at the death of the "caring" and "quiet" woman who loved her garden.
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