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22
Sept 2022
Man sentenced to life in prison for Harrogate Mayfield Grove murder
A man has been sentenced to life in prison after brutally murdering Gracijus Balciauskas at a flat on Mayfield Grove in Harrogate last year.
Vitalijus Koreiva, 37, was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this morning after being found guilty of murder by a jury in July.
Polish national Jaroslaw Rutowicz, 39, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for manslaughter for his part in the crime.
Mr Balciauskas, from Lithuania, was just 41 years old when he was killed.
Wrapped in a rug
The sentencing comes as a trial in July heard that Mr Balciauskas’s body was found wrapped in a rug after a lengthy drinking binge involving the three friends turned violent on December 20, 2021.
CCTV footage was shown of the men leaving the flat to buy more alcohol on several occasions in the hours leading to the murder.
Rutowicz told the court how Koreiva, who is Lithuanian, erupted during a drunken game of chess with Mr Balciauskas at 5am, which led to Koreiva punching and then kicking him.
Read more on the trial:
- Harrogate murder trial hears that body was found in a rug
- Harrogate murder suspect claims he feared for his own life after ‘brutal’ assault
- Doubt cast on Harrogate murder suspect’s claim
- Harrogate man ‘out of his mind’ on alcohol admits attacking friend
Harrowing video footage taken on Rutowicz’s phone of a bloodied and bruised Mr Balciauskas was shown in court. The clips showed him being kicked by Koreiva whilst he was laying defenceless on the floor pleading for help.
In one of the videos, Rutowicz was heard shouting at Mr Balciauskas in Polish:
During the trial, Rutowicz said he had been threatened by Koreiva with his life if he called 999 after Mr Balciauskas died. He said Koreiva’s nickname in Harrogate was the “crazy Russian” and he had an unpredictable character.
Murder victim Gracijus Balciauskas pictured in Knaresborough.
However, prosecuting barrister Peter Moulson QC poured scorn on his claim and accused Rutowicz of lying.
Mr Balciauskas died of internal bleeding after being kicked in the spleen and suffering multiple injuries to the torso.
'Drunken cover up'
Judge Rodney Jameson KC told Koreiva this morning that Mr Balciauskas’ injuries would not have been fatal “had you not tried to drunkly cover up what you had done”.
Addressing Rutowicz, Judge Jameson described his actions as “calculating” and that he wanted to “avoid responsibility”.
He said:
Koreiva will serve a minimum of 13 years in prison before he is considered for parole. Should he be released, he will spend the rest of his life on licence.
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