A teenager has been jailed for life after stabbing to death his 17-year-old friend and leaving him to bleed to death. Maciej Mikolajczyk lured Alan Szelugowski to a park in Salford then knifed him 20 times before taking his mobile phone so he had no chance of calling for help.
The college student suffered horrendous injuries to his head and body. He was discovered in Clowes Park the following morning by dog walkers.
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A trial had earlier heard Alan was brutally murdered after he had 'fallen out' with his 'close friend' Mikolajczyk over a cannabis debt. They had arranged to meet at a park on January 29, 2022, to 'sort things out', Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
Mikolajczyk, then 17, brought along Lilner Neto and Benson Jones, then both 16, to the 'pre-planned' attack. Carrying 'at least one knife' they arrived at the park in a stolen BMW.
They then 'set upon' Alan in the dark in a vicious attack which lasted around 10 minutes. They fled the scene and attempted to cover their tracks by getting rid of the knife and the mobile phone they had taken from the grievously injured victim.
Neto switched his phone to airplane mode to try to avoid its movements being later tracked, while Jones performed a 'factory reset' on his mobile. Mikolajczyk later told a 'series of lies' about his whereabouts that night, including to the victim's family.
After his arrest Mikolajczyk told 'at least four different versions of events that night', the court heard.
Following a trial at Minshull Street Crown Court Mikolajczyk was found guilty of murder, while Jones and Neto were found guilty of manslaughter. The three killers can now be named as they are now all 18.
At a sentencing on Monday parts of a victim impact statement written by Alan's mum Anna Szelugowska, were read out in court. She said her son would 'do anything to avoid conflict' and described him walking two miles to the shop to avoid local gangs.
His murder was the 'biggest shock', Ms Szelugowska said. She added: "The day it happened was awful. I relive it all the time.
"Since that day our lives have never, and will never, be the same again. There are no words to describe how I feel.
"I walk down the street and see other teenage boys living their lives and become angry. The only reason I am still here is for my other two sons. Without them I think I would have ended my life."
Ms Szelugowska said she had 'only hatred' for her son's killers. "I will never forgive them," she added.
Tom Edwards, defending Mikolajczyk, said the teenager regrets the 'great level of distress' he had caused. Mr Edwards added: "The jury found my client was heavily involved [in the attack]. That's not the same as saying he was responsible for the entirety of the injuries suffered by the victim."
Mr Edwards said Mikolajczyk, who worked at a Premier Inn hotel, had had a 'relatively chaotic' upbringing having moved to Manchester from Poland aged seven. There were 'allegations of abuse' within the family, Mr Edwards said, adding that Mikolajczyk had been excluded from school twice, faced disruption to his life caused by the pandemic and 'smoked too much cannabis'.
Anesta Weekes, defending Neto, said there was no evidence her client had taken part in the attack. She said: "There is no denying that Lilner Neto was present and that he knew a terrible stabbing had taken place.
"But what is difficult [to prove] is that he joined in the attack by kicks and punches. I would have concerns as to where that evidence is."
Clare Ashcroft, defending Jones, said he had been a carer for his mum 'for much of his young life' and when she died in 2020 he found it 'very difficult to accept'. Jones had an 'emotional age much younger than his chronological age', Ms Ashcroft said.
Judge John Potter said the three defendants took part in 'horrific violence for, it seems, little or no reason'. Alan, described as a 'small in stature' at just 5ft 1ins, 'stood little chance', after being 'set upon and left to bleed to death', the judge said.
He added: "The three of you set upon Alan in the dark in that park and stabbed, kicked and punched him. You Maciej Mikolajczyk used at least one knife to inflict injury.
"After the attack the three of you abandoned your victim in the park, raising no alarm as to what you had done and ensuring that there was no prospect of any alarm being raised you took his mobile phone and disposed of it, as you also did with the knife you had used.
"This was brutal, mindless violence which bore the hallmarks of being pre-planned. You Maciej Mikolajczyk arranged to meet him in the park that night around a set time, having made arrangements to take you co-accused with you.
"I am sure Maciej Mikolajczyk taking with you at least one knife used in the fatal attack. During the course of the attack I am sure that both Benson Jones and Lilner Neto knew that a knife was being used to inflict very serious injuries."
Mikolajczyk, of Moorsley Drive, Blackley, was jailed for life and told he will serve a minimum of 20 years. Neto, of Broughton, Salford, and Jones of Edith Street, Moss Side, were both jailed for eight years, of which they will serve half in detention and half on licence.
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