Libby Squire murder trial: Accused denies sexual thrill from killing

A man accused of raping and murdering a student has denied being sexually excited by the alleged killing.

Libby Squire, 21, vanished following a night out in Hull on 31 January 2019 and her body was recovered from the Humber Estuary seven weeks later.

Sheffield Crown Court has heard accused Pawel Relowicz, 26, had gone out in search of women to satisfy his increasing sexual urges.

He told jurors the pair had consensual sex and he played no part in her death.

Mr Relowicz, a married father-of-two, had driven around the student area of the city for three hours and 20 minutes looking for women before finding Ms Squire, a University of Hull student, jurors were told.

Prosecutors claim he drove her to Oak Road playing fields, where he raped and murdered her before putting her into the River Hull.

Continuing his cross-examination for a second day, prosecutor Richard Wright QC put it to the Polish-born butcher that Ms Squire had presented an opportunity for "easy sex".

Mr Relowicz denied the claims.

Mr Wright asked: "You say you had consensual sex with Libby Squire?"

"This is correct," replied Mr Relowicz.

"Should we understand that wasn't enough for you? Because you were back out again looking for other women to masturbate at."

Mr Relowicz replied: "Yes, this is correct."

"Did the fact that you had raped her and killed her sexually excite you, Mr Relowicz?"

The defendant replied: "No."

When questioned why he did not perform a sex act in front of Ms Squire, he replied: "Because she was crying and needed help."

The barrister replied: "It was because, Mr Relowicz, this was the opportunity to go further, wasn't it?

"This was what you really wanted. A drunk and incapable girl just round the corner from your car.

"It wasn't going to be enough to masturbate at this girl, was it? You wanted to take this girl to a quiet place, didn't you?"

Mr Relowicz replied: "This is not true."

He agreed he performed a sex act in a street after he left Ms Squire, and then went "driving around again" in search of "attractive women".

Jurors heard he went home later before setting out again at about 03:00 on 1 February "for fresh air" because he felt bad for cheating on his wife.

Jurors heard Mr Relowicz had given five varying accounts of his encounter with Ms Squire to police, his friends and to the court.

When asked by Mr Wright why he lied, the defendant said he did not want his wife to find out and he needed "time to accept all of my problems".

The trial continues.

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