Symon Tarkowski gets suspended sentences for false imprisonment and withholding information

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Symon Tarkowski received fully suspended five-year sentences, running concurrently on each count, at the Central Criminal Court. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed the sentences for false imprisonment and withholding information.

Tarkowski pleaded guilty to both charges. The false imprisonment of Patryk Krupa occurred at Bogganfin in Athlone, County Roscommon; the withholding-information charge covered 20 to 21 June 2014. The proceedings were reported on 30 June 2016.

Mr Krupa drowned in the Shannon outside Athlone on 20 June 2014, incapacitated by a head injury sustained in a violent assault. Leszek Sychulec and Andrzej Gruchacz were convicted of his murder in April 2016. Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced them to life imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court on 13 June 2016.

The judge said Tarkowski assisted the false imprisonment by driving his car between locations with Mr Krupa. He had not joined the other men’s plan to harm Mr Krupa, remained inside the car at the scene and took no part in the beating. He learned of the death only after returning to where he had been summoned from.

The judge said Tarkowski was acting under another person’s influence. Inspector Aidan Minnock accepted that he would have been out of his depth, and the judge accepted that he might not have understood the seriousness of his involvement.

Mr Justice Hunt criticised Tarkowski’s decision to clean his car. However, the report described substantial cooperation after arrest that helped gardaí secure a successful prosecution. The court heard that he had no previous convictions and had shown genuine remorse.

The judge decided that Tarkowski’s limited role and mitigation justified suspending the sentences. He warned that Tarkowski had to make use of the opportunity or face serving the full sentence.