A woman helped her boyfriend hide a murder. She drove him around, cleaned up the crime scene, and lied to the police. The court thought her punishment (5.5 years in prison) was fair because she did a lot to help hide the crime and it almost worked.
Key Facts
- •Monika Solarska pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.
- •The case stemmed from the discovery of Tomasz Dembler's corpse, who had been brutally murdered.
- •Solarska's boyfriend and another individual were the main perpetrators of the murder.
- •Solarska actively participated in the cover-up, including transporting the body, cleaning the crime scene, and providing false statements to the police.
- •The cover-up was extensive and nearly successful.
- •The judge considered the seriousness of the underlying manslaughter, the persistence of the cover-up, and its impact on justice.
- •The judge sentenced Solarska to five years and six months' imprisonment.
Legal Principles
Sentencing for perverting the course of justice considers the seriousness of the underlying offence, persistence of the conduct, and effect on justice.
R v Tunney [2006] EWCA Crim. 2066 and Attorney General's Reference No 16 of 2009 (Yates) [2010] 2 Cr.App.R (S) 11
Outcomes
Appeal dismissed.
The court upheld the sentence, finding it proportionate to the gravity of the offence and the appellant's significant role in the cover-up. The sentence was not considered manifestly excessive given the extensive and persistent nature of the actions taken to obstruct justice.