Burglar strangled mum, court told

9:42am Thursday 14th June 2007

A POLISH immigrant strangled a mum to death in front of her baby son, the Old Bailey heard yesterday.

Wojciech Ciesla broke into the bedsit of 32-year-old Juline Chambers intending to burgle it, jurors were told.

But after finding Ms Chambers in bed, the 49-year-old car washer allegedly strangled her.

It is claimed Ciesla then hit her 15-month-old son, Dejaughn Johnson, to try and stop him crying.

The court heard the attack is believed to have taken place in Ancona Road, Plumstead, in the early hours of August 5, 2005.

However, the body of Ms Chambers lay undiscovered for two days until neighbour Mona Barr became concerned and entered the house.

Ms Chambers was found slumped in bed still wearing her nightclothes.

Dejaughn, who had not been fed for two days, was found whimpering in his cot with a blanket pulled over his head.

Prosecutor Sally Howes said: "At approximately five o'clock on Sunday August 7, 2005, neighbours entered the bedsit of Juline Chambers and found her body lying on her bed.

"She had been strangled. Her infant son, Dejaughn, was crying in his cot next to his dead mother.

"Marks to the right-hand side of the child's face showed two handprints of a large adult-sized hand, indicating the child had been slapped very hard."

She added: "There was extensive bruising to the area of the child's right ear and scratch marks on the ear and left cheek.

"There was bruising and swelling to the area around the eye and a haemorrhage to the eye.

"It is the Crown's case Wojciech Ciesla entered the bedsit intending to burgle the property and once in the property he attacked and murdered Juline Chambers."

Ciesla is also accused of burgling two homes in Woolwich and Abbey Wood in the month Ms Chambers was killed.

Ms Howes said he left fingerprint and DNA evidence at the scene on both occasions.

Ciesla moved to the UK in summer 2004 and lived briefly in a bedsit in Ancona Road with his partner but by the time of the alleged murder he was living at the car wash where he worked.

Ms Chambers was last seen alive by neighbour Yvonne Hill on the evening of August 4. The two women agreed to meet to hang out their washing the following morning.

In the early hours of August 5, Ms Hill heard a strange "shuffling" noise, the court heard.

When Ms Chambers failed to show the following day, she became worried.

Ms Howes said: "At about 8.30pm she went into the garden and called out for her friend but there was no response, so she stood on a box and tapped the window with a garden cane. There was no response.

"A little later she went back to the front door of the flats and neighbour Tony Brown answered the door and said Juline must be in because he heard the baby crying."

The following day, Ms Barr realised the bedsit door was unlocked and went inside.

She saw a lump under the bedclothes and left, believing Ms Chambers was sleeping.

Ms Howes added: "It was unusual to find the door unlocked because all the neighbours knew Ms Chambers was very security conscious.

"Ms Barr returned later to hear the baby crying. She was concerned about this and pushed open the door.

"It was in the same state as before and Mrs Barr went to the windows and opened the curtains.

"She pulled the covers off and tried to rouse Juline but was unable to do so. Of course Juline was dead.

"She picked up the baby, who was wearing only a nappy. The baby had scratches and bruising to his face."

The court heard a forensic examiner had initially believed Ms Chambers had choked on a tangerine and suffered a fit.

However, a post-mortem examination carried out by pathologist Vesna Djurovich revealed she had been strangled.

Ms Howes added: "She found a number of external and internal injuries to the face and neck and also to the torso.

"It appeared the pressure was applied over the face and neck by a hand or hands.

"Pressure must have been applied for a minimum of 15 to 30 seconds."

Ciesla, of no fixed address, denies murder, inflicting GBH and three counts of burglary.

The court heard he had "trashed" two home he burgled either side of the killing.

He is alleged to have broken into a home in Greening Street, Abbey Wood, on August 3, 2005, before making a meal and throwing food over the floor.

Ciesla is accused of ransacking a bedroom and taking jewellery worth £1,200 His fingerprint was found smeared in blood on a door frame, the court heard.

On August 17, 2005, he is alleged to have raided a garden flat in Little Heath, Woolwich, and walked off with computer equipment wrapped up in an old rug.

Police scientists found his DNA on a sweatshirt he left behind, jurors were told.

Ciesla was arrested at a car wash where he was working on October 14 and refused to answer questions.

He now claims he was involved in a struggle with Ms Chambers but can remember very little of what happened.

Ms Howes said: "He remembers flashing lights, a blackout and waking up elsewhere.

"It appears he has no real recollection of what occurred."

Ciesla, who is an alcoholic, claims he has a psychiatric condition and is not guilty of murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The trial continues.