Tomasz Dembler death: Mutilated body found with hands cut off at wrist

Tomasz Dembler, who moved to the UK from Poland 20 years ago, was said to be "in a bad way with drink and drugs"

The mutilated remains of a man were found in a shallow grave in woodland weeks after his death, a jury was told.

Teesside Crown Court heard the naked body of Polish national Tomasz Dembler, 39, was discovered with his hands cut off at the wrist in April.

Two teenage girls alerted police after finding what appeared to be toes sticking out of the earth near Flatts Lane Country Park in Middlesbrough.

Four men and a woman have gone on trial accused of Mr Dembler's murder.

The court heard that Mr Dembler was killed at a house in Edward Street in North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, in the early hours of 21 March before being buried in the woods.

The remains were discovered by the girls on 12 April.

Peter Makepeace QC, prosecuting, said four of the defendants claim one of the accused, Zbigniew Pawlowski, murdered Mr Dembler in the front room.

But Mr Pawlowski, 41, denies this and says he had left the house before the alleged murder took place.

Mr Makepeace said there was a "chasm between the contradictory defence cases".

'Lonely and isolated figure'

The court heard Mr Dembler, who was separated from his wife and daughter, had lived in the UK for nearly 20 years and moved to the North East in 2019.

It was said he led an increasingly troubled life with no settled address or job.

Mr Makepeace told the jury: "He had begun drinking to excess and taking drugs including cocaine and amphetamines.

"He was a lonely and isolated figure. He was sofa surfing and in a bad way with drink and drugs."

In the weeks before his death, Mr Dembler had moved to Edward Street to live with one of the defendants, Adam Czerwinski, 45, the court heard.

Mr Makepeace said two other defendants, Rafal Chmielewski and his girlfriend Monika Solerska, both 37, were also staying there and the other two accused - Mr Pawlowski and Tomasz Reczycki, also 37 - were regular visitors.

'Spirited away'

The jury was shown footage of the last sightings of Mr Dembler in North Ormesby on the evening of Saturday, 20 March.

His phone was in use until after 03:00 on the Sunday morning but it was never found and was said to have been "spirited away" after his death.

The prosecution claimed CCTV showed a series of car journeys between the murder scene at Edward Street and the burial site on 21 March in which the defendants disposed of the body.

Mr Pawlowski, of Leven Street, Middlesbrough, Mr Chmielewski, of Birchington Avenue, Grangetown, Mr Reczycki, of Ashfield Avenue, Middlesbrough, Ms Solerska, of Birchington Avenue, Grangetown and Mr Czerwinski, of Edward Street, Middlesbrough, all deny murder.

Previous charges against two other men, Krysztof Ziolkowski, 46, and Martin Chielewski, 27, were dropped at an earlier hearing when the prosecution offered no evidence in relation to them.

The trial, which could last up to six weeks, continues.