Third person appears in court in relation to patryk krupa case

A man arrested at Dublin Airport appeared in court yesterday charged with the murder of Athlone man Patryk Krupa.

Andrzej Gruchacz, of no fixed abode, has been remanded in custody.
He appeared before Judge Seamus Hughes in Mullingar District Court yesterday, charged with murdering Patryk Krupa in Athlone on June 20, 2014.

He was also charged with the false imprisonment of Mr Krupa.
Detective Garda Aidan Lyons said he arrested Mr Gruchacz at Dublin Airport earlier yesterday.

The accused, who was not legally represented, had been arrested in Scotland on foot of European arrest warrants and extradited from Scotland.

Det Garda Lyons said that at 2.45pm he proferred the murder and false imprisonment charges on Mr Gruchacz, who made no reply.
He told Judge Hughes during the seven-minute hearing that he also declined the services of a solicitor.

After Judge Hughes advised the defendant to obtain the services of a lawyer, which the State would fund, at the earliest opportunity, Mr Gruchacz, speaking through his interpreter, said he will look at securing his own solicitor.

Judge Hughes remanded Mr Gruchacz in custody to appear in Cloverhill District Court on Wednesday next, February 18.