Sadistic killer Michael Clark was told today he must serve a minimum of 35 years in prison for the murder of his 14-year-old neighbour Zuzanna Zommer.
A judge yesterday described Clark as 'wicked and predatory' as he handed him a life sentence for the brutal killing and sex assault of the teenager in her own home in Leeds.
Polish-born Zuzanna had only been living in Leeds six weeks when Clark sexually assaulted her and left her lifeless body in a pool of blood.
Her throat had been slit, her skull fractured and she had stab wounds to her body. Zuzanna's family had initially befriended the jobless loner after moving two doors away from him on Compton Row, Harehills, to start a new life in the UK.
They were unaware he was a dangerous, violent offender with convictions including rape.
His Hon, Mr Justice King, today told Clark: "No words of mine can adequately express the grief, distress and horrific sense of loss caused by your actions. This was a truly wicked act. You have shown no remorse, to the contrary you callously set out to set-up a false alibi and brazenly tried to blame a third party, who you claim broke into your house and stole your clothes."
A jury at Sheffield Crown Court took less than an hour to convict Clark of murder and a sexual assault following a two-week trial. They heard how Clark carried out the killing on October 1 last year after he waited for Zuzanna's parents to go out for the day before attacking the youngster when she was home alone. The solvent-abuser then went to Blackpool Pleasure Beach for the day where he sniffed glue and went on the rides in a bid to create an alibi for himself.
He denied the killing despite overwhelming forensic evidence which included Zuzanna's blood found on a door frame at his home along with a blood-spattered tracksuit top. He was also wearing a blood-stained sock at the time of his arrest.
Mr Justice King yesterday set the minimum term of 35 years meaning Clark will be 75 when he can be considered for parole. The judge said Clark's crime only just fell short of him being handed a whole life sentence. He added: "I can find no mitigating factors. You patently had the intention to kill. Your victim was of particular vulnerability. She was only 14, she no doubt was easy prey to your predatory sexual desires that you have found in the past so difficult to control. Your attack was particularly brutal and frenzied."
After the hearing Det Supt Bill Shackleton of West Yorkshire Police homicide and major inquiry team described the attack as "as bad as it gets" He said: "The Zommer family had only been in England a few weeks when Zuzanna was brutally murdered by Michael Clark.
"Clark has a history of violent sexual offences as was heard during the trial.
"He is without doubt an extremely dangerous sexual predator. The sentence he received today will ensure that he will no longer present a danger to the public."
Det Supt Shackleton said the verdict had brought some comfort to Zuzanna's family who have now moved back to Poland and felt unable to attend the trial.
BACKGROUND: Leeds street scared of weirdo with dark pastBACKGROUND: A scream... then cry of 'My baby, my baby'The full article contains 573 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
