Telford man denies selling 'Superman' pills linked to death

Damian Malolepszy said he had already moved out of a house where more than 100 of the pills were found, and told Shrewsbury Crown Court he had signed over the tenancy agreement to a Polish couple before the house was raided by police on New Year's Day.

Police found 113 PMMA pills at the house in High Street in Hadley, Telford, where Malolepszy was said to have been running a drugs operation.

PMMA pills are also known as "Superman" pills as they are embossed with the "S" logo. The drugs have been linked to the death of 27-year-old Daniel Bagnall of Telford.

Malolepszy, 28, of Redlands Road, Hadley, now faces five charges of drug offences including being concerned with the supply of a controlled drug to Mr Bagnall.

He was yesterday found not guilty of one charge of supplying cannabis to Nathan Crossley, who had been out with Mr Bagnall during the evening he died. Recorder Nigel Daly decided there was insufficient evidence to proceed.

Malolepszy, on day three of his trial, told a jury he had been keen to leave the High Street house to move in with his partner.

Speaking through an interpreter, he said he still had to pay rent on the property to his landlord but had advertised the house was to rent in a Polish supermarket next door on December 20.

The court heard Malolepszy, who admitted spending up to £60 a week on cannabis and amphetamines after losing his job last year, had been approached about the tenancy agreement on the same day. Malolepszy said he had printed off the agreement and it was signed by Michal Tor and Monika Kiszka that same evening,

He said he moved in with his girlfriend the same day and had not returned to house before being arrested on New Year's Day.

He also admitted buying boxes, which were found with the "Superman" drugs in them, but said he had left them in the High Street house when he moved.

Mr Bagnall took the drug, fell ill and was found dead at a house in Woodside Road, Ketley, at about 1.45pm on New Year's Day.

Mr James Dunstan, prosecuting, said: "You did not have any specific arrangements with Monika or Michal, so your plan was to simply come and knock on the door at any time and ask for your remaining stuff.

"Why did you not take any contact details off them? Did Monika and Michal really exist?"

Malolepszy, who remains in police custody, said Mr Tor and Ms Kiszka, who have not been found by police, had his contact details and the arrangement had been for him to pick up his belongings some time after Christmas or in the new year.

The trial continues.