Libby Squire: Murdered Hull student's mother to meet killer

Lisa Squire pictured with her daughter Libby

The mother of murdered Hull student Libby Squire is to meet her daughter's killer in prison.

Pawel Relowicz, now 28, was sentenced in February 2021 to at least 27 years' imprisonment for the rape and murder of Miss Squire.

The 21-year-old disappeared during a night out in Hull in January 2019. Her body was found seven weeks later in the Humber Estuary.

Lisa Squire said: "How did she die? That's my biggest question."

Polish-born Pawel Relowicz worked as a butcher in Malton, North Yorkshire

Jurors found Relowicz guilty of rape unanimously and guilty of murder by a majority verdict of 11 to one.

However, pathologists were unable to determine a cause of death because of the amount of time her body had been in the water.

Speaking to BBC Look North, Mrs Squire said: "There is a whole load of questions that go through my mind on a daily basis but the biggest one is how did she die?"

Father-of-two Relowicz has refused to own up to his crimes.

Asked whether she thought he would provide answers to her questions, Mrs Squire replied: "I don't think he will yet but who knows, in years to come maybe he will."

'I don't hate him'

Mrs Squire, a neo-natal nurse, revealed her agony at not knowing about her daughter's final moments.

She said: "For me, it's more about being in the same space as the last person who was with my daughter.

"I know most of her friends and she was always in contact with me so I know what she was doing in the morning, the afternoon and the evening. I do not know what happened on that last day of her life."

Mrs Squire, who lives in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, insisted she does not hate Relowicz.

She said: "I don't actually have any feelings towards him.

"I don't hate him because it's not going to get me anywhere and, for me, anger is very destructible. It's very draining and the more time I spend being angry with him the less time I can spend thinking about Libby, looking after my other children and doing family things."

Mrs Squire is not convinced her daughter's killer can change.

"If someone can do those things, and the things he was doing before he raped and killed Libby, then I believe that is in them," she said.

Murdered student's mum meets prime minister

Deal with sex offenders earlier - Libby Squire mum

It emerged during the 14-day trial at Sheffield Crown Court that Relowicz had prowled the streets of Hull before attacking Miss Squire.

Jurors heard Relowicz had previous convictions for voyeurism, performing sex acts in public and stealing sex toys and underwear from women's homes.

He maintained he had consensual sex with the student and said he had lied because he did not want his wife to find out he had cheated on her - claims the jury refused to believe.

A date for the meeting, being arranged through a restorative justice charity, has yet to be decided.

"I am really grateful that he has agreed," said Mrs Squire. "It must be quite daunting to meet a victim's mother."