Two killers beat man and dumped him outside hospital when he stopped breathing
Two killers who savagely beat a man before dumping his dead body outside a hospital have been jailed.
Krystof Solosciuk and Tomasz Urbaniak carried out a horrific punishment beating on fellow Pole Lukasz Grabowski, after he stole £300,000 worth of illegal cigarettes from gangsters.
The pair were said to be motivated by 'fear and greed' when they attacked 32-year-old Mr Grabowski for stealing the illicit cargo of Ukrainian cigarettes from an organised crime gang.
Mr Grabowski was beaten in a 'sustained and severe assault' in an alleyway behind Edward Hotel in Gloucester, then held down in the back of his own black Audi A7 motor car.
After he stopped breathing the killers dumped him opposite the entrance to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
Urbaniak, 36, then fled to his native Poland along with a third suspect, Krystian Czelewicz, who remains there.
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Solosciuk, 39, was arrested two days after the incident while Urbaniak was arrested in Poland in June this year.
Solosciuk and Urbaniak were acquitted of murder but convicted of manslaughter at Bristol Crown Court.
Urbaniak was sentenced to 12 and a half years jail, while Solosciuk was sentenced to seven years in prison at the Old Bailey.
The victim, a former semi-professional footballer in Poland, moved to England in around 2007 'to seek job opportunities' and settled in Bristol.
He became involved in the cigarette smuggling operation after meeting the killers through a gym in Bristol.
Mr Justice Granham told Solosciuk: "The background to the offence was an illegal cigarette-smuggling enterprise in which you were both involved.
"You, Solosciuk, went from your home in Bristol to Luton where you met up with Mr Grabowski, a friend of yours and a man for whose death you would share responsibility.
"Your intention was to take possession of a large quantity of cigarettes which had been imported into the UK without duty being paid.
"The plan was to load the cigarettes into two vans. You had recruited Mr Grabowski for this. You helped with the loading of these cigarettes in the back of the vans, a task that lasted into the small hours.
"You fell asleep. You woke some hours later to find Mr Grabowski has disappeared with his van and the majority of the cigarettes.
"Those above you in the chain were far from happy. You received what you described as an "educational slap".
"It was made clear you had to find Mr Grabowski and recover the cigarettes. Threats of a sinister nature were made to your family in Poland, particularly your daughter."
The court heard the killers, along with Czelewicz, met up with Mr Grabowski and were driving in Mr Grabowski's Audi when they 'began to argue'.
"Grabowski was not playing ball," said the judge. "He would not tell you where the cigarettes were. Matters came to a head as Mr Grabowski drove the Audi to a car park.
"It turned violent. The CCTV shows you two on either side of Mr Grabowski as Czelewicz punched him. This was a sustained and vicious assault. He was taking a severe beating."
The court heard the men then bundled the victim back into his Audi.
On the back seat, a struggling Mr Grabowski was restrained by Urbaniak and Czelewicz, and may have continued to be beaten, while Solosciuk drove.
Mr Justice Granham rejected the defendants' explanation that they were trying to take him to a mental hospital.
The victim was "struggling to breathe", continued the judge.
"So desperate was his struggle at one point that he kicked out the passenger window.
"It continued until one of you in the car realised you had gone too far and Mr Grabowski was in real danger.
"You realised his life was in danger."
Solosciuk stopped the car and Czelewicz attempted CPR, before driving towards the hospital.
The judge said: "You didn't have the sense or the decency to drive him right up to the hospital.
"'Instead the car stopped for a moment in the street outside the hospital where Urbaniak unceremoniously dumped Mr Grabowski on the pavement. By then he was either dead or dying.
"You did at least put him in the recovery position, but that was far too little, far too late."
Afterwards, Solosciuk went to hand himself over to the police. But Urbianiak fled to his native Poland, where a European warrant was issued for his arrest.
Mr Grabowski's mother, Krysyna Grabowska, said in a statement: "Lukasz was our second child. Lukasz was well liked and active. He started playing football semi-professionally.
"He played in the third division in the Poland national league but his career was cut short through a serious knee injury. He decided to come to England in order to seek job opportunities.
"On November 21 our lives changed dramatically when we found out Lukasz had died. The loss of Lukasz had a huge impact on our lives.
"As Lukasz's mother I feel that nothing makes me happy anymore. I have problems sleeping. I feel this huge void inside me and I miss him terribly.
"Lukasz's father has issues with concentrating and problems coping at work. My husband and I visit Lukasz's grave every Saturday and Sunday, trying to at least find some relief from what has happened.
"Lukasz's grandparents are devastated by what has happened.
"As a family we feel sad he was deprived of a chance to have a family of his own. And that we will never have an opportunity to see our grandchildren.
"We are not complete without him. This is something we will have to carry with us for the rest of our lives."
Defending Solosciuk, David Jeremy said he "was a late and reluctant participant in the violence".
He added: "As soon as it was realised that Grabowski was struggling to breathe, efforts were made to help him. This was an effect of a chain of events that went horribly wrong. Solosciuk is not and never has been a violent man."
And Urbaniak's defence barrister Sam Green said he "wanted the court to know he is very sorry indeed for the part he played in Mr Grabowski's death".
The judge said their motivation was "fear and greed".
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