Northern Ireland

Patrycja Wyrebek murder accused pleads not guilty

Patrycja Wyrebek was discovered by police at her home in Drumalane Park
Patrycja Wyrebek was discovered by police at her home in Drumalane Park Patrycja Wyrebek was discovered by police at her home in Drumalane Park

A 24-year-old man has been ordered to stand trial accused of murdering his partner in her Co Down home last year.

Dawid Lukasz Mietus, of Drumalane Park in Newry, appeared at Belfast Crown Court for an arraignment hearing via video link from Maghaberry prison.

When the charge of murdering 20-year-old Patrycja Wyrebek was put to him, the Polish national replied: "Not guilty.''

Ms Wyrebek's body was found in her Newry home on August 2, 2020.

Mr Justice O'Hara set the trial date for May 3, 2022 and which is expected to last up to two weeks.

The case will be reviewed in early February 2022 ahead of the start of the trial.

As no application for bail was made, Mietus was remanded into continuing custody.

No details were given in court on Friday about the circumstance surrounding the murder.

When Mietus first appeared in court charged with the murder, it was alleged Ms Wyrebek had died as a result of an "erotic sex act''.

Defence barrister Jonathan Browne told Newry Magistrates Court in August 2020 that Mietus claimed they both drank a large amount of alcohol and the deceased became unresponsive during consensual sexual intercourse.

"The normal agreement between the two of them was that if there was any threat or danger to either of them, they would use a physical signal to stop the intercourse," he said.

"He said on the morning of question, she never gave him such signal to actually stop.This particular case being made is that this is entirely an accidental death in which there was no intention to kill or cause serious harm. This is without doubt an extremely tragic death."