Marek Pudlowski

4 August 2010, 12:17 | Updated: 4 August 2010, 12:25

One year after the murder of Marek Pudlowski, whose body was found on a park bench in Bognor on 3 August 2009, police in Bognor are appealing directly to the Polish community to come forward with information.

The message from detectives who have worked tirelessly on Operation Langton is that someone, somewhere, knows what happened to Mr Pudlowski.

"We are urging those people to do the right thing and to pick up the phone to police," said Detective Chief Inspector Steve Johns, from Sussex Police's Major Crime Branch.

"We have Polish speaking police officers and staff who will be able to talk to you. We need to find the last pieces of the jigsaw in order that Marek's family can have the justice they need.

“We have had so much support from the Polish community and many people have come forward to help us with our enquiries," said Detective Chief Inspector Steve Johns, from Sussex Police's Major Crime Branch.

"However, many of those have now left the area and we no longer know where they are - they could be anywhere the country. We are certain that at least one person knows exactly what happened to Marek this time last year.”



Polish Mr Pudlowski, 51, of Bassett Road, Bognor, was found on a bench in Waterloo Square. A post mortem revealed he had suffered serious bruising to his upper body, which led to a murder investigation being launched.

"Marek was attacked somewhere and sustained serious injuries," added DCI Johns.

"His death wasn't immediate though as we have CCTV footage of him in the town shortly before his body was discovered and he is clearly in pain.

“Marek Pudlowski was a husband and a father, who was loved by his family. His daughter Agniezka Pudlowska made an emotional appeal for information last year and his family still need justice and to know what happened. If anyone, anywhere, knows something then please pick up the phone and speak to us or email us.”

Marek
Officers and PCSOs will be distributing leaflets with a specific mobile phone number that people can call with information; it will be answered by Polish speaking police officers and staff or a message can be left in Polish.

CI Jim Bartlett, Arun's District Commander, said: “We have received a lot of support from members of the public within the Polish community, to which Marek belonged. We are extremely grateful for all this help and we continue to forge and develop those relationships.

"I would like to reassure the people of Bognor once again that we are doing all we can to establish what happened exactly a year ago and I would ask that anyone who can provide any assistance or information to contact us. I would particularly like to appeal to the local Polish community who live in the town to come forward with any information, no matter how small, that may be able to assist the inquiry."

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0845 60 70 999, quoting Operation Langton.