Piotr Krowka: Pair admit killing homeless man in Maghera

Piotr Krowka's body was found in a former parochial house in Maghera in 2018

Two men have pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of a homeless man in Maghera, County Londonderry, in 2018.

The body of Piotr Krowka was found in a former parochial house on Glen Road.

Caolan Michael Johnston, 21, from The Fort, Maghera, and Adrian Kozak, 21, from Garvey Wood, Ballymena, were both charged with murder.

As their trial was due to begin at Antrim Crown Court on Thursday, defence lawyers asked for their clients to be rearraigned.

Both defendants subsequently pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

At the time of Mr Krowka's death, police said the 36-year-old, who was originally from Poland, "was sleeping rough in the derelict property".

A post mortem examination later revealed he suffered a violent death, caused by blunt force trauma to his head, chest, abdomen and left arm.

A previous court hearing was told that Johnston, who was 16 at the time of the killing, was a suspected member of a gang calling themselves the Maghera mafia, who had been involved in anti-social behaviour in the town.

Caolan Michael Johnston (left) and Adrian Kozak admitted killing Piotr Krowka

Both defendants have been on bail for the past four years and the judge agreed to allow their bail conditions to continue until sentencing later in the year.

However, she said there would inevitably be lengthy custodial sentences in the case and she told the defendants they should expect "very substantial sentences".

She also issued a warning to both Johnston and Kozak, saying: "I want you to be in no doubt what the outcome in this case will be".

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for 16 September before minimum terms are handed down at a later date.