Final arguments made in trial of man accused of murdering 23-year-old with broken bottle
Barristers for the prosecution and defence have made their final speeches in the trial of a man accused of murdering Dawid Kurdziel with a broken bottle at a play area.
Robert Wieczorkowski, aged 32, of Hurleybrook Way, Leegomery, Telford, is accused of the murder of Dawid Kurdziel, 23, between midnight and 1am on Saturday, July 3 last year which he denies.
Michelle Heeley QC, prosecuting, said the broken bottle had been thrust with such force that it went into the victim's neck up to 7.5cm.
She said: "This defendant is the man responsible for that injury. It was not an act of reasonable self-defence."
She added that the victim had no weapon and had been caught on CCTV saying that he wanted to talk, not fight, with the defendant and his friends who were in a children's play area. They were also behind a four foot high fence, and had not made any attempt to climb over it.
Ms Heeley said the defendant could not explain how the glass had got so far into Mr Kurdziel's neck.
"The only thing Mr Kurdziel said was "what's up"? That does not justify the level of violence."
And after the incident, Ms Heeley said: "He sauntered away as Dawid Kurdziel bled out on the street.
"He carried on drinking without a care in the world.
"Then he ran away to Scotland."
Mr Kurdziel collapsed outside the Blue Elephant, in Holyhead Road, Ketley.
He was taken away by ambulance but pronounced dead on the way to hospital.
David Mason, QC, defending, said: "Everyone will be shocked and saddened by the tragic loss of life. It is tragic and should not have happened."
But he added that there are "two sides to this terrible story. Robert Wieczorkowski could never have imagined that it would end in tragedy."
He said his client had been celebrating being given a full time contract and had not wanted to attract trouble.
Wieczorkowski, also faces an alternative charge of manslaughter, which he also denies,
Mr Mason said: "Trouble came to Robert Wieczorkowski and not the other way round."
He added that one of Mr Kurdziel's friends had "started the ball rolling" following an incident with his client in the park. In a phone call Mr Kurdziel had been wound up to head over to the park.
"The mixture of alcohol, anger, and the ability to fight can have disastrous consequences," he said.
He said Mr Kurdziel had "wanted to go and have it out with them."
Mr Mason asked the jury whether it was credible that Mr Kurdziel and his two friends had made a 10-15 minute walk from a party to the park "just to have a chat."
"It was a long way to go for a chat about things. His friends had thought it had been a bad idea and tried to warn him off. Sadly he wouldn't listen.
"It was never going to end well.
"But so easily it could have been avoided. If only he had listened to his friends."
He said Wieczorkowski had been entitled to protect himself.
The trial continues.