JACHIMOWICZ: SON DENIES KILLING FATHER

A son accused of killing his elderly father and dumping his body in a makeshift grave in the back garden told a court today (Tues) he was honouring his dad’s wishes.

The tarpaulin-wrapped body of Hierinom Jachimowicz, 87, was discovered by police in November 2010 in a shallow grave behind the greenhouse at the family home.

Michael Jachimowicz, 69, is alleged to have covered up his the death so he could claim his inheritance.

Alongside the body officers found a handwritten note from Michael, stuffed into a milk bottle, claiming his father had died of natural causes.

Hierinom, known as Henry, was last seen alive in March 2005, after which Jachimowicz told neighbours he had gone to live with relatives.

In the years after he disappeared from the family home Jachimowicz allegedly continued to claim his father’s pension after failing to register his death.

Today the pensioner told Snaresbrook Crown Court he had found his father dead in his bed on the morning on March 15, 2005.

He said his decision to bury him in the garden had been the result of a pledge made to him before his death.

‘I slowly realised I had made a promise to him and that promise was that I would bury him in the garden,’ he told the jury.

He was then asked by his barrister Joe Sidhu why he had not called a doctor.

He replied: ‘Father would have been taken to the local hospital, then from the hospital he would be put in a mortuary and then to the undertakers and then to the cemetery.

‘Now I had a problem facing me. I thought “what am I going to do? Am I going to allow that to happen or am I going to honour the pledge I gave him to bury him in the garden”?’

Jachimovicz was then asked why he felt he had to bury his father in the garden and he said: ‘Because he asked me and I had agreed to that.

‘I just had to go ahead with that because if I did not honour that pledge I probably could not live with myself.’

He told the court he spent the entire day digging the grave and had been to a nearby DIY store to buy ‘the most expensive tarpaulin’ to wrap him in.

‘I lined the grave with tarpaulin,’ he said.

‘As it was dark I went into the house and opened the door to where my father was and picked him up and I carried him to where I had made the grave.

‘Then, as gently as I could, I placed him in the tarpaulin.’

He said he then placed the handwritten note in on his father’s body and filled the hole with three bags of peat.

Jachimowicz said he was concerned that his father should be left with a ‘last worldly tribute’ to ensure that if he were discovered in the future people would know who he was.

The note read: ‘Henry’s dying wish was to be buried with all the things that made his life worth living, viz: his beloved wire fox hair terrier (3 buried in this garden), his wonderful bees (six hives here) and his glorios [sic] garden of 20 fruit trees.

‘He held me to promise that come his final day on the good earth that I would ensure his request be met.

‘To that effoc [sic] I have honoured his wish.

‘Found dead in bed on Sunday morning 13/3/05.’

The message ended: ‘All my love and lifelong respect. God be with you!

‘Signed, Michael, his only son.

‘PS.. I write this with tears in my eyes.’

The court heard Jachimowicz had dedicated his life to looking after his father, who was in poor health.

He said: ‘I would say that 100 per cent of my time was keeping an eye on him, looking after him all the time.

‘The only exceptions were when I went out shopping, because we had to eat, or going to get prescriptions.

‘Although it took my time and my life I regarded it as my Christian duty. I never complained. I did what I had to do.’

The court has heard Jachimowicz was the sole heir to his father’s estate and he had ‘much to gain’ from his death.

She had also told the jury a space in a cemetery alongside his wife had previously been purchased for Henry and there was no reason not to bury him there.

Jachimowicz continued to claim attendance allowance, a pension and pension credit for his father, before police were called to the house after a tip-off.

Jachimowicz, of (164) Furzehill Road, Borehamwood, Herts, denies manslaughter between March 11 2005 and November 10 2010.

The trial continues.

End