A dad who murdered his infant son to get revenge against his former partner for ending their relationship has lost a sentence appeal bid.
Lukasz Czapla,42, shot, stabbed and smothered two-year-old Julius at his home in Muirhouse, Edinburgh, in November 2020 to get back at the child’s mum Patrycja Szczesniak.
The High Court in the city heard how Patrycja had split from Czapla in June that year but was happy to allow him look after defenceless Julius.
However, on the night of November 20 2020, she told former Fife College IT technician Czapla she was seeing somebody else.
This prompted him to down anti-depressants with alcohol, then shoot Julius three times in the head with a gas powered air pistol.
He then stabbed the toddler with a metal skewer before smothering him with a pillow.
Czapla told jurors killed Julius because he had decided to end his own life and did not want to leave the child traumatised by the death of his father – as he himself had been when his own dad took his own life..
The court heard how Patrycja discovered her son’s remains the following day.
On Thursday, defence solicitor advocate Murray Macara KC asked appeal judges to reduce the 23-year minimum term he has to serve before he can apply for parole, arguing the term is excessive compared to similar crimes.
Mr Macara also told the judges their colleague Lord Beckett did not give proper consideration to Czapla’s mental health problems.
However, the judges refused the appeal, with Lord Tyre pointing out the attack was carried out with “cruelty” and “determination”.
Business feud
Two Perth tradesmen have admitted smashing up work vans belonging to a rival business. Euan Boyes and Mark Dillon used tools to hobble the vehicles while they were parked outside their opponents’ home. Lawyers told a court the reasons for the three-year-old feud have been lost over time.
Prison revolving door
A career criminal who has experienced “the revolving door of prison” for almost his entire life has been jailed after stealing from a supermarket.
Ryan Clark, 37, admitted the theft of razor blades, dishwasher tablets and yoghurt from Tesco on South Road, Dundee, on September 24.
He appeared from custody at Dundee Sheriff Court.
Clark, of Strathmore Lodge, Ward Road, was sentenced to six months in jail for the £74 theft,.
Sheriff John MacRitchie said: “You will note the revolving door of prison is not good for you.
“I could justify sending you to prison for 18 months, given your record but I will restrict this to six.”
Register breach
Dunfermline woman Louise Ramsay, who was placed on the Sex Offenders Register following a room-renting scam breached her notification requirements by opening a new bank account. The 34-year-old was jailed, having previously offended by bombarding a man with mucky messages after he contacted her about renting a room.
Child assault
A Dundee man has admitted hitting a young girl with a broom.
Babar Rasul, 49, admitted assaulting a 12-year-old at an address on Annan Terrace on September 10 this year.
Rasul, of Strathmore Lodge, Ward Road, will appear for sentencing at Dundee Sheriff Court on November 24.
Police chase
A learner driver who led police on a dangerous high speed chase through rural Perthshire has been banned from the road. Callum Lindsay, 19, “panicked” and sped off when he saw police trying to pull him over.
