Hungarian man who raped and stabbed his ex-lover 40 times to death is jailed for life
A HUNGARIAN man stabbed his ex-lover 40 times to death – just two days after bungling police released him on bail for raping her.
Verebes repeatedly stabbed Korosi two days he was released by police
Jailing him for life, a senior judge slammed officers for freeing twisted Miklos Verebes, 29, to kill his terrified victim Melinda Korosi, 33.
Carlisle Crown Court heard just 48 hours after Cumbria Police released Verebes having quizzed him for rape he broke into Ms Korosi’s home and murdered her with the sharp rock.
When officers raced to the scene they found Verebes covered in blood and casually remarking: “It’s too late. She’s dead.”
Neighbours phoned the police when they saw Verebes climbing through Korosi's window
Now – after being convicted of three counts of rape and her murder – a judge has jailed him for a minimum of 28 years and blasted police for freeing him to kill.
On Tuesday Mr Justice Openshaw said: “For reasons which I don’t begin to understand, Verebes was released without charge.
“That decision is now under review by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.”
The pair moved to the UK together from Hungary to start a new life
The jury heard the Hungarian couple had met in their homeland before travelling to the UK to start a new life and lived together in a house in Carlisle.
It was a murder of quite unusual savagery and brutality
But the pair split after he was jailed for a short period last July for attacking her.
On his release from prison on licence, Miss Korosi then told police he had routinely subjected her to abusive and controlling behaviour, included forcing her to have sex against her will.
Two days before the killing, police had released Verebes without charge after arresting an interviewing him on suspicion of raping Miss Korosi.
Prosecutor Andrew Thomas QC said: “Just before 6am on the day she died, September 15th, neighbours were woken by a loud banging from Miss Korosi’s house.
“They saw Verebes clambering into her house through the smashed kitchen window – and then heard the victim scream.
“The neighbours immediately realised that Miss Korosi was in danger.”
The jury heard the 999 call made that day by neighbour Rebecca Wilkinson who told the call handler: “He’s gone upstairs. He’s going to kill her....Hurry up, please. She’s just screamed like a baby.”
A senior judge slammed police officers for releasing Verebes
Police were quickly on the scene but after forcing their way in they found her sprawled on the floor with blood gushing from a gaping neck wound.
At Carlisle’s police HQ, after being arrested for murder, Verebes told a police officer: “I know what I did. I wanted to kill her.”
Sentencing Verebes to life, the judge remarked: “It was a murder of quite unusual savagery and brutality.”
Outside court, Detective Chief Inspector David Pattinson of Cumbria Police said: “My deepest sympathies remain with Melinda’s family and for all those that knew and loved her.”
Isla Chilton, Senior Crown Prosecutor, said: “Verebes carried out a horrific pre-meditated attack upon his partner, just days after being released from prison for a previous assault upon her.
“Just a few days after being interviewed he armed himself with a sharp rock, smashed her kitchen window and climbed into the house.
“By the time police arrived he had already carried out his mission to brutally murder her. Melinda did not stand a chance.
“Verebes is an extremely dangerous man whose actions were motivated by revenge for her reporting him to the authorities.”