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Girlfriend was lucky to survive knife rage

Amy Glendinning
24/ 7/2008

A MAN who repeatedly stabbed his ex-girlfriend in a jealous, drunken rage has been jailed for six years.

Piotr Kowalski, 27, of Heywood Street, pleaded guilty to assaulting Anna Fraczeck in June 2007.

Kowalski, who was unemployed, stabbed Ms Fraczeck in the chest, arm and back as she tried to escape in her car.

One stab wound punctured Ms Fraczeck’s lung, causing life-threatening injuries and leaving her with a large scar above one breast.

After the sentence at Bolton Crown Court, Detective Sergeant Rebecca Matthews, of Rochdale CID, said: "Anna was subjected to a frenzied knife attack and was fortunate not to be killed.

"This was a pre-planned and violent assault.

"This case shows a clear history of abuse, escalating in severity and nearly ending with the loss of a young life."

The court heard how Kowalski’s life had spun out of control after he lost his job and began to drink heavily.

The couple, who had moved to Heywood in 2005, began to argue frequently and Kowalski would often behave aggressively towards his partner.

Eventually, in May 2007, Ms Fraczeck told Kowalski their relationship was over and they separated.

However, when the defendant found Ms Fraczeck had begun a relationship with another man, his violent behaviour escalated.

On the evening of June 18, 2007, Ms Fraczeck saw Kowalski outside the flat on St James Street where she was staying.

As she gave him a lift in her car back to his own flat he threatened to kill her, her new boyfriend and then himself, saying: "If you’re not with me you will be with nobody".

However, as soon as Ms Fraczeck had dropped him off, Kowalski returned to wait at her flat again.

When she arrived home two hours later he approached her as she sat in her car, hiding a large blade up his sleeve.

As Ms Fraczeck started the engine in a bid to drive away, Kowalski smashed the driver’s window, reached in and held the blade to her throat, saying he was about to kill her.

As she tried to push the knife away he stabbed her twice in the top of her chest and then in the back and arm as she tried to climb into the passenger seat to escape.

After pleading with Kowalski for his mobile phone, Ms Fraczeck was able to call an ambulance before becoming unconscious due to her injuries.

Kowalski waited with her until the emergency service arrived, when he was arrested.

The prosecution told the court how the attack would have life-long consequences for the victim.

Robert Elias said: "Anna Fraczeck will have a scar on her chest for the rest of her life, and, although thankfully she has made a full physical recovery, the emotional impact will last much longer.

"She thought she was going to die from the stab wound to her chest and indeed she could easily have done."

Mr Elias also outlined a report by a psychiatrist, which said Kowalski ‘presented a high risk of harm’ to any woman with whom he became close to in future, especially if they attempted to end the relationship or his heavy drinking continued.

Ahmed Nadine, speaking in Kowalski’s defence, told the court that his client had not planned to injure Ms Fraczeck that night, only to slash her car tyres and threaten her.

He had also been drinking on the day of the attack and Mr Nadine said that this, along with depression, jealousy and a ‘sense of helplessness’ had caused him to lose control.

The Hon Judge Morris said he accepted that Kowalski had not intended to stab Ms Fraczeck until the last minute, and also gave him credit for his guilty plea, in what he said was a ‘highly unusual case’.

Kowalski was jailed for six years, minus the 13 months he had already served in custody.

Judge Morris also ordered him to be put on licence for a further five years following his release to protect members of the public.