Jilted boyfriend ‘stabbed girlfriend to death when he found note that revealed she was leaving him for colleague at Nando’s’

A MAN enraged after finding a note detailing his girlfriend’s plans to leave him is alleged to have stabbed her to death with a kitchen knife.

Pawel Sroka, 34, is alleged to have stabbed 29-year-old Joanna Trojniak at their home in Croydon, south London, after finding out she was moving out.

She had become close to a colleague at Nando’s and plucked up the courage to leave Sroka.

He discovered she was trying to start a new life away from his controlling behaviour, it is said.

The court heard during the hearing at the Old Bailey today that Joanna, an assistant manager at Nando’s restaurant in Colliers Wood, was found with multiple stab wounds to her face, chest and hands at about 9pm on March 23 this year.

She died at the scene.

Jurors heard Sroka discovered a post office change of address confirmation letter giving away the fact that Joanna was about to leave him.

She had previously confided in friends that she was terrified of Sroka tracking her down.

Sroka read the letter whilst his girlfriend was at work and confronted her when she returned home that evening.

He stabbed her six times to the face and chest – and she also suffered a stab would to the hand were she had tried to protect herself.

Prosecutor David Jeremy QC said: “Mr Sroka is charged with the murder of his partner. She was 29 years of age at the date of her death. The defendant was then 33.

“Both of them are polish nationals and they lived together in a house in Croydon.

“The defendant attacked her and stabbed her to death with a kitchen knife in the living room of their home.

“He then called 999 and drove off in his car – not before he had stabbed himself in the chest – leaving Ms Trojniak to die.

“The defendant was seen by local residents in his car in a nearby street crying out for help.

“Police and paramedics arrived and took him to hospital and ensuring that he survived.

“By that night the relationship was coming to an end. She had become close to someone who she worked with at the branch of Nando’s.

“Leaving the defendant was not something that Ms Trojniak thought would be possible.

“She told her friends and colleagues that she was fearful of his reaction. She worried that he wouldn’t accept it and that he would track her down and make life difficult for her.’ ‘About a week before she had a discussion with her manager at work. She told him of her plans to run away.

“She told him that she had tried to break up with the defendant in the past but he had locked her in a room and become aggressive.”

Mr Jeremy explained that when her colleague asked why she had not already left Sroka she replied ‘Are you crazy? He will kill me’.

He continued: “She had wanted to make sure he would not be able to find out where she had gone. She arranged to have her post redirected.

“Unfortunately the post office confirmation was sent to this home address.”

The defendant and Joanna sent text messages to each other about it throughout the day until Joanna went home.

To the colleague she had become close to she sent a message which said: QI am going home now. I’m going to talk. No choice.”

Sroka returned home at 7.34 pm and the emergency services received the call from help just before 9pm.

Mr Jeremy explained: “He told the operator ‘my girlfriend was stabbed, stabbed with a knife’.

“He did not say that he had stabbed his girlfriend.

“[The Police] found the house in darkness. They found her in a foetal position in between a sofa and coffee table.

“She had been stabbed multiple times. Her injuries were too severe and she was pronunciation dead at 9.46.

“She had been stabbed to the face and the centre of her chest. She had also received a stab wound that went through her hand.

“Police found a large red kitchen knife. Both the knife and the knife block had blood on them with a profile that matched Joanna Trojniak and that of the defendant.”

Mr Jeremy continued: “He now accepts that he had caused these wounds to himself.

“At first he refused legal advice. He refused to leave his cell. The police took the interview to him in his cell.

He was asked why he stabbed her. Whether he was acting in self defence. Whether they had had a fight.

“To all of these questions Mr Sroka remained silent. He lay on his bed with a blanket over his head.

“His defence will be that he lost control that night after Ms Trojniak said provocative things.”

Sroka, of Meadvale Road, Croydon, denies murder but admits manslaughter.

The trial continues.

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