Man arrested on suspicion of murder after woman's body found in Stoke

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The body of the 32-year-old was found on Thursday evening



A murder investigation is under way after a woman's body was found in a Coventry flat - and is believed to have been there for "several days".

A crime scene is now in place at Othello Court, in Shakespeare Street, Stoke, after the grim discovery was made on Thursday evening (January 20).

Concerns were raised for the occupant of a flat after she was not seen for a number of days. When officers forced their way inside they found the body.

West Midlands Police said "it was clear nothing could be done to save her" and a post-mortem examination is due to take place today (Friday).

Two arrests have since been made.

At 9.15pm last night, police arrested a man from a house in the Bell Green area of the city on suspicion of murder.

The 36-year-old man – who is known to the victim – remains in police custody.

A woman, aged 67, was also arrested from the address on suspicion of assisting an offender after it is alleged she frustrated officers' efforts to enter the property.

Both addresses - where the woman was found and where the arrests were made - have been sealed off for a forensic examination and CCTV has been seized.

Coventry Police Chief Inspector Paul Southern, said: “This is truly tragic and our thoughts are with the woman’s family and friends. We have assigned a specially trained Family Liaison Officer to support them at this time.

“We suspect the woman may have died several days ago - the last confirmed sighting of her was on Saturday, January 15.

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Man charged with murder after woman's body found in Coventry flat



A man has been charged with murdering his partner after her body was found in a Coventry flat - and his mother was charged with assisting an offender.

Patryk Skupinski, 36, of Othello Court, Shakespeare Street has been charged with murder and his mother, Hanna Skupinski, aged 57, of Bell Green Road, Coventry has been charged with assisting the offender.

They are both set to appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Monday, 24 January.

The woman who died has been named as 32-year-old Marleen Doyle. Her body was found at a flat in Othello Court, in Shakespeare Street, Stoke on Thursday evening (January 20).

Concerns were raised after she was not seen for days, and officers forced their way into the flat and made the grim discovery.

A post mortem examination found that she died from injuries to her head.

West Midlands Police said in a statement: "We’ve charged two people after finding a woman’s body at a flat in Coventry.

"Marleen Doyle, aged 32 was found in Othello Court, Shakespeare Street, at 5.20pm last Thursday (20 January).

"Sadly it was clear nothing could be done to save her.

"A post mortem examination confirmed she died of injuries to her head.

"Marleen’s partner, Patryk Skupinski, aged 36, from Othello Court, Shakespeare Street, has been charged with murder.

"His mother, Hanna Skupinski, aged 57, from Bell Green Road, Coventry, has been charged with assisting an offender.

"They will both appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court tomorrow (24 January)."

Police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

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Two more people charged over death of woman found in Coventry flat

Two more people have been charged in connection with the death of a woman whose body was found in a Coventry flat.

West Midlands Police confirmed this morning that they have charged two more people with assisting an offender.

It comes after the death of Marlene Doyle, aged 32.

She was found in Othello Court in Shakespeare Street last Thursday, January 20.

A post-mortem examination confirmed she died of injuries to her head.

Her partner Patryk Skupinski, 36, of Othello Court, is accused of killing her while his mother Hanna Skupinska, 57 and of Bell Green Road, has been charged with assisting an offender.

Both appeared at Warwick Crown Court yesterday. No pleas were entered and a trial date was set for June 6.

This morning, police confirmed that two more people have been charged with assisting an offender in connection with the incident.

They are:

• Michal Lada, aged 39 and of Blythe Street, Coventry
  
• Kinga Rybacka, aged 25, also of Blythe Street, Coventry

They are due to appear at Coventry Magistrates Court this morning (Thursday, January 27).

Detective Inspector Adam Jobson, from our homicide team, said: “These charges are a further significant development in our investigation in the Marlene’s death.

“My thoughts remain with her family who are understandably devastated by what has happened.

“I’d encourage anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area over the last week, or has any information to get in touch.”

Anyone with information is urged to get in touch with police via the Live Chat function on their website. You can also call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. Quote crime ref 20/147159/22.

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Marlene Doyle: Man convicted of killing partner at their flat



A man has been convicted of murdering his partner in a "vicious and savage attack" at their home where her body lay undiscovered for up to five days.

Patryk Skupinski, 37, of Shakespeare Street, Coventry, was found guilty of killing Marlene Doyle, after a trial at Coventry Crown Court.

The 32-year-old's body was found after she had not been seen for a number of days and a relative became concerned.

West Midlands Police said she suffered domestic abuse before her death.

Ms Doyle was found with significant head injuries at a flat on Shakespeare Street on 20 January 2022 and post-mortem tests established she had most likely died up to five days earlier.

Police said officers found that after the murder Skupinski was in contact with Michal Lada, 40, of Rogers Road and Kinga Rybacka, 27, of Blythe Road, Coventry.

The force said the pair had gone to the flat on 16 January before allowing Skupinski to hide with them for three days.

Skupinski's mother, who made inquiries about helping her son leave the country, then kept him hidden for two days at her home, where he was arrested, the force said.

Hanna Skupinski, 59, of Winterton Road, Birmingham, and Skupinksi's two friends were all found guilty of assisting an offender.

During the investigation, officers found Ms Doyle had suffered domestic violence over a period of time before her death.

Her mother Gloria, said: "Marlene's story should act as a warning to all women and men who find themselves within such relationships, and who choose to remain and keep quiet in the hope that the situation will improve."

She said her daughter was "killed at the hands of a wicked man whom she loved and trusted".

Skupinski is due to be sentenced on 6 October.

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Violent killer jailed for murdering 'much-loved' Coventry mum as she lay in bed



A killer has been jailed for life for the brutal murder of a Coventry mum as she lay in bed. Violent Patryk Skupinski left his partner Marlene Doyle, 32 [pictured], with what the judge described as 'catastrophic' blunt force injuries by repeatedly hitting her over the head with a weapon at her home in Shakespeare Street.

Marlene, a mum to three boys, was understood to have died within an hour of the sickening attack on the night of January 15, 2022, though her body was not found until five days later when police forced their way into her flat. In the intervening period, Skupinski enlisted the help of four people, including his mother, as he plotted a way to evade detection.

Sentencing Skupinski at Coventry Crown Court today (Friday, October 6), having previously been convicted of murder, Judge Thomas Rochford told the defendant his efforts to lay low with a view to fleeing the UK were among many aggravating factors in the case. "It was a brutal and sustained attack on a defenceless woman with the use of a weapon," he said.

"It was carried out in a domestic context - Marlene Doyle's own home. You are a man of previous convictions for violence, including an assault on a previous partner. Taking into account the aggravating and mitigating factors I have concluded it appropriate to increase the minimum term (of imprisonment) to 21 years, deducting the 621 days spent on remand.

"In my judgement, this minimum terms accurately reflects the seriousness of the offence. The minimum term is not a fixed term after which you will be released. It is the minimum time that you will spend in custody before your case can be considered by the parole board."

His Honour Rochford told Skupinski, 37, that even after his release he would be subject to licence for the rest of his life. The judge said the appalling manner of Marlene's death had traumatised her mother Gloria Burke and sister Sally Brown.

"I've listened to the impact statements of Gloria and Sally," he said. "I've also observed Gloria over many days during the course of the trial.

"Marlene's death in such horrific circumstances has had a profound affect on them and has left a sad and terrible void within the family. Marlene Doyle was a loving, and much-loved, mother, daughter and sister."

Skupinski's mother Hanna Skupinski, 59, of Bell Green Road, Coventry, and friends Michal Lada, 40, and Kinga Rybacka, 27 - both of Blythe Road, Coventry - were all found guilty of assisting an offender at an earlier hearing. They will be sentenced at the same court this afternoon.

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Coventry woman jailed for plotting murderer son's 'escape' out of UK



A Coventry woman who attempted to help her murderer son flee the country has been jailed. When Hanna Skupinski found out Patryk Skupinski had killed his partner Marlene Doyle, 32, she contacted another of her sons in Poland to see if he could arrange travel out of the UK.

The 59-year-old, of Bell Green Road, Coventry, protected Patryk Skupinski after he killed the much-loved mother-of-three on January 15, 2022, and when police officers attended her home to speak to him she initially refused to open the door. Partners Michal Lada, 41, and Kinga Rybacka, 27, also helped to keep the murderer hidden from police at their home in Blythe Road.

Having been found guilty of assisting an offender at a previous hearing, all three co-conspirators were today (6) jailed at Coventry Crown Court for their corroboration. But Lada's involvement in removing the weapon Patryk Skupinski had used to repeatedly hit Ms Doyle while she lay in bed at her home in Othello Court persuaded Judge Thomas Rochford to hand him the longest sentence of the three.

Rybacka, four-and-a-half-months pregnant, broke down in tears as she and her co-defendants were sent down. A dock officer was forced to escort her to the cells as she clung to Lada in desperation.

Lada was sentenced to 42 months imprisonment less 135 days spent on a qualifying curfew while the case was progressing through the courts. Rybacka and Hanna Skupinski were both sentenced to 15 months behind bars.

Each of the defendants were offered mitigation in the form of their previous good character and a misplaced 'loyalty' to Patryk Skupinski after his shocking crime. But each was told their offending crossed the custody threshold 'by a significant margin' and that only an immediate custodial sentence could be 'justified'.

In jailing Hanna Skupinski, Judge Rochford said: "You were actively arranging his escape from the UK. Whilst that plan was never put into action, I'm sure it would have been carried out had his arrest not intervened."

Judge Rochford told Lada his role in the 'very sorry episode', was the most serious. "Within minutes of being told by Patryk Skupinski what he had done, you were lending enthusiastic and practical assistance," the Judge said.

"You returned with him to Othello Court at around 7am (the day after the murder). You even climbed scaffolding outside the neighbouring building in a desperate attempt to get in.

"And further, I'm sure, having heard all of the evidence, you carried away the weapon that had been used to kill Marlene Doyle and disposed of it somewhere, never to be found."