The lawyer charged with defending Dundee double murderer Krysxtof Gadecki did not know he was fighting deportation from the UK.
The Polish national – who murdered Ronnie Kidd and Holly Alexander at a flat in Rosefield Street last December – had been jailed for a host of serious crimes in his homeland, including rape, robbery and fraud.
The Home Office initiated deportation proceedings in 2015 but Gadecki appealed the ruling, giving him leave to remain in the UK.
Gadecki was sentenced to a minimum of 26 years in jail for murdering Mr Kidd, 40, and mother-of-three Ms Alexander, 37.
Defence counsel Iain Paterson, who admitted in court that he couldn’t give any plea of mitigation to justify Gadecki’s evil actions in Dundee last December, said he “knew nothing” about the case to deport him.
However, Mr Paterson declined to comment further on the case despite claims Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr that Gadecki’s legal team had “played the system” in order to delay his deportation.
Mr Kerr said: “This was a dangerous individual who should never have been able to set up home here. Moves were made to deport him but he and his legal team played the system and the consequences have been dire.”
Ms Alexander’s mother said she held the UK authorities partly responsible for her daughter’s death.
She said: “I have no hope, Holly’s children and husband have no hope to ever see her.
Our lives are a mess – the kids need help, Forrest (Ms Alexander’s estranged husband) needs help – it is hard.
“I am deeply saddened that this murderer was allowed to live here after being found out to be a violent criminal. I am also deeply saddened that he was given only a 26 year sentence. He was allowed to still have hope to live and see his loved ones. I have no hope.
“In America he would have been sentenced to more years than he could ever live, thus taking the hope from him as he took it from us.
“I am unable to move on. We plan on holding the UK government and police Scotland accountable for their roles in my daughter’s demise.”
