Woman will admit killing her banker partner
A woman who stabbed a Danish banker to death at their home will admit killing him, a court heard.
Henrik Slotsaa’s body was found at an address he shared with his partner Joanna Cierpka, 51, in Newington Causeway, Elephant and Castle, in south London on 16 March.
Mr Slotsaa, 52, had been stabbed repeatedly and had been dead for some time when officers broke the door down.
Cierpka originally from Gdynia, Poland, was taken to hospital where she told a member of staff: ‘I killed my partner.’
She appeared at the Old Bailey today (weds) via video-link from HMP Bronzefield.
Her defence barrister Jacqueline Carey KC said there will be no dispute Cierpka is responsible, but she will claim she was mentally ill at the time.
‘A defence of diminished responsibility is something that is going to be included,’ the barrister said.
Judge Nigel Lickley commented:’The cause of death is not disputed, unlawful killing is not disputed, there is no suggestion of self defence.’
A defence psychiatric report will be available within the next couple of days but prosecution expert Dr Samir Patel has yet to see Slotsaa and will do in the next six weeks.
Slotsaa is due to enter pleas on September 7
Sarah Przybylska, prosecuting, earlier said Cierpka ’emailed a friend back in Poland, in effect, a suicide note.’
The friend passed the information to the Met Police and officers had to kick the front door in to get into the property.
‘The defendant was trying to cut her own throat,’ Ms Przybylska.
Cierpka told officers she was ‘useless’ and added: ‘I should kill myself.’
Ms Przybylska said the victim ‘had been dead for at least some time’ noting the blood around him had ‘dried up’.
Cierpka spoke only to confirm her name and that she understood the process.
Judge Lickley told Cierpka: The next hearing will be on September 7. You can appear again on the link if you do not want to come to court.
‘By July 25 you will be required to serve a defence statement.
‘Dr Patel will no doubt be making an appointment to see you to prepare another mental health report.’
Mr Slotsaa is originally from Denmark and went to Copenhagen Business School.
According to his Facebook profile he was employed by Citibank Europe plc and was in a relationship with Cierpka.
The Dane’s LinkedIn profile describes him as a ‘Senior Banker with a career of over 20 years across different aspects of banking, including loan administration and client relationship management’.
Cierpka is due to stand trial on September 14.
