No early parole for Exeter Polish rapist

Jakub Tomczak's victim never recovered from the injuries she sustained in 2006. She died last year, leaving an orphan who is now in foster care.

Tomczak, whose DNA was found on the victim, was sentenced in the UK for rape and grievous bodily harm. He was given two life sentences, and informed that he was unable to be considered for parole for nine years.

Tomczak was deported to Poland to serve his sentence, but a recent change in EU law raised the prospect of an early release.

According to the new Brussels law, EU citizens sentenced in a foreign EU country - but serving time at home - can petition for their term to be shortened, if the original sentence is longer than the national maximum for a given crime.

In Poland, the maximum sentence for Tomczak's crimes is 12 years. He was given 18 by the British courts.

Tomczak was hoping that if the sentence was reduced to 12, he would be able to come up for parole after six years.

The British court allowed that he could serve his sentences together, thus being able to petition for parole at the halfway point, but Polish law says that the convict must serve consecutive sentences.

The defence sought to allow Tomczak to serve the sentences simultaneously. However, the district court in Poznan has ruled that he will not be able to petition for parole until he has served nine years, and that he must serve his two sentences consecutively. (nh/pg)