A MAN who broke into a woman’s house through an upstairs bathroom window and assaulted her has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.
Lukasz Stanislaw Lewandowski (42) attempted to explain the presence of his fingerprints on a year-old cleaning job and the woman’s lack of cleanliness.
But he was found guilty of one charge of breaking and entering with the intent of committing a crime and one charge of common assault at a trial in November.
Last May – just days after he was released from prison for another offence – Lewandowski went to the woman’s home, under the guise of picking up possessions he had left there on a previous occasion.
The woman still had a number of Lewandowski’s possessions, the court heard, which included his passport and wallet.
Crown Advocate Christina Hall, prosecuting, said that Lewandowski “banged on the front door of the property and began to shout at the victim” but when he got no response, he left and spent the evening “drinking whiskey and vodka”.
Advocate Hall added that Lewandowski could be “volatile” after drinking and returned to the flat the early hours of 13 May.
The court heard that he climbed onto a flat roof and into the house through the bathroom window, breaking its hinges and leaving behind dirty fingerprints and footprints in the same colour as algae found on the roof.
The woman, who was there with a male friend she had asked to stay over as she was “afraid” of Lewandowski, called the police and stayed on the line with them as the two men got into an argument.
At the trial, a recording of the call was played to Jurats, and recordings from police body-worn cameras showed Lewandowski to be “aggressive and intoxicated”, Advocate Hall added.
He elbowed the woman in the chest causing a minor injury, which formed the basis of the assault charge.
Advocate Hall said that Lewandowski offered “various explanations” for the prints including suggesting they could have been left after he power-washed the roof a year earlier. The court also heard that Lewandowski suggested that the palm prints could have been left during a previous visit to the flat, claiming that the bathroom was “very dirty” and hadn’t been cleaned.
Crown Advocate Hall said Lewandowski showed no remorse for his actions and had been assessed as not being suitable for probation service courses that could help him address alcohol and relationship issues.
Advocate Julia-Anne Dix, defending, said Lewandowski benefited from a good character reference from his employer, who said he was “consistently reliable” and had a good relationship with customers.
Delivering the court’s sentence, Commissioner Alan Binnington, presiding told Lewandowski that despite his good work, a lengthy jail sentence was unavoidable.
He said: “Regrettably, there is another side to your character when it comes to your personal life.”
Commissioner Binnington further criticised Lewandowski for his attempting to blame the victim for his offending.
Lewandowski was jailed for three-and-a-half years for the breaking and entering, and a month for the assault, running concurrently. He was also given a five-year restraining order.
Jurats Karen Le Cornu and Michael Entwistle were sitting.
Speaking after the sentencing, investigating officer, Detective Constable Pippa Le Mottee said: “We welcome the sentence handed down in the Royal Court today. Lewandowski had never admitted or shown remorse for his actions, but the evidence was clear.
“We would like to acknowledge the courage and resilience shown by the victim throughout this process. Their determination to seek justice has been instrumental in ensuring this outcome.”
“This case also highlights the importance of partnership working. We extend our thanks to our partner agencies for their invaluable assistance in supporting the victim and ensuring their safety during the investigation and court proceedings.”
