Daniel Pelka: Mother put love of drugs before son

Magdelena Luczak put her use of cannabis, amphetamines and alcohol, and her “intense” love for Mariusz Krezolek, before even the most basic needs of her four-year-old son, Daniel Pelka.
Despite presenting herself in court as a fearful victim of her violent partner, Luczak was the driving force behind the cover-up which kept Daniel’s plight hidden from the authorities.

Tellingly, Luczak held hands with Krezolek across the lap of a police officer at Coventry Magistrates’ Court just four days after her son’s death.

Luczak appeared at ease in the dock as she and Krezolek used their thumbs to stroke each other’s hands for around 20 minutes, giving the lie to her claim to be terrified of him.

A superior command of English compared with Krezolek meant Luczak was in demand to fill out benefit claim forms for Polish friends – and able to tell health workers Daniel was being given cereal in the morning, Polish stew at tea-time, and supper before going to bed.

Witnesses told the trial Luczak was aggressive towards professionals, particularly the doctors who called in social services after Daniel suffered a broken arm 14 months before his murder.

Said by her sister to be a heavy abuser of alcohol who became argumentative and sometimes violent in drink, Luczak was noted by friends to have an almost obsessive interest in her appearance.

The former cleaning worker used a dietary supplement designed to ensure her hair and nails remained healthy – at a time when Daniel’s bones had stopped growing due to his needless malnutrition.

Born and raised in Lodz, the third largest city in Poland, Luczak worked as a cleaner and at a Parcelforce depot after settling in Coventry in February 2006.

Luczak, who had three previous troubled relationships with men her sister said were “not good for her” before meeting Krezolek, told her trial she was at a loss to explain why she allowed her partner to deprive Daniel of food.

In evidence which the Crown said was simply an attempt to deflect blame onto Krezolek, Luczak, alleged that Daniel was mistreated for around five months before being beaten around the head by her partner, who then tried to strangle her.

But she admitted keeping the abuse secret – and passing up 16 opportunities to alert health and other professionals to the abuse between February 9, 2011 and February 7, 2012.

During her trial, Luczak was asked by Krezolek’s barrister why she had not taken Daniel to a doctor as he lost weight.

Luczak replied: “Because Daniel would always have a lot of bruises. I tried to make it secret, what was happening to him – that is why I didn’t go to the doctor’s.”

Krezolek’s QC, Nigel Lambert, then demanded of Luczak: “Why on earth would you do that to your son?”

Speaking through a Polish interpreter, Luczak answered: “I don’t know… I don’t understand my behaviour.

“It wasn’t me, it was Mariusz but I knew what was happening.

“I myself don’t understand my actions. I must have loved Mariusz to allow such a thing.”

Bizarrely, given her treatment of Daniel and the “foul” conditions in his room, Luczak kept the other parts of her home spotless.

Detective Inspector Chris Hanson, who led the murder inquiry, recalls that several plug-in air fresheners located throughout the house had been set to the highest setting as the couple supposedly grieved for Daniel.

Other items had been hidden from police and it is thought the air fresheners were an attempt to hide the smell from Daniel’s room.

“On the outside, they did portray this normal household – the father going to work, mum looking after Daniel, but actually in reality we now know what was going on,” Mr Hanson added.

“It shows how sophisticated the conspiracy was to conceal what they were doing to Daniel from the authorities and everybody else.”