Eltham thug loses appeal bid over Bartek Wyrzykowski killing

In February 2022, 21-year-old Bartosz Wyrzykowski was walking on Lionel Road in Eltham with his girlfriend when Jack Davies, Yusuf Aydin, Benedict Paul and a 16-year-old boy attacked him. 

Bartosz – known as Bartek – was chased by the four before the teenage boy used a large machete style knife to stab him to death. 

The attack was witnessed by horrified parents who were picking their children up from a nearby nursery school, a court heard. 

In March last year the 16-year-old boy was found guilty of murder, while the other three attackers were found guilty of manslaughter. 

Jack Davies, now aged 21, has since sought to appeal against his manslaughter conviction and his 11 year prison sentence. 

But a panel of appeal judges stated: “We see nothing to suggest that the conviction is unsafe and we therefore refuse leave to appeal against conviction.” 

They further concluded that the sentence was not manifestly excessive so refused leave to appeal against the sentence. 

Yusuf Aydin, Benedict Paul and Jack Davies (left to right) were jailed for manslaughter (Image: Met Police)

'Outnumbered and overpowered'

At around 5pm on February 8, 2022, Bartek was walking on Lionel Road in Eltham with his girlfriend when a car pulled up at a roundabout.   

Yusuf Aydin, Jack Davies, Benedict Paul and a boy who was 16 at the time of the attack got out of the car and attacked Bartek. 

There had been some animosity between 22-year-old Aydin, who was the driver, and Bartek prior to this attack.  

The court heard that Bartek was “undoubtedly outnumbered and overpowered”. 

Bartek told his girlfriend to run away, before he tried to escape but was pursued by the four. 

The fatal blow came when the unnamed teen used a large machete style knife to stab him.  

Bartek was rushed to the Royal London Hospital but was pronounced dead at 7.05pm that evening.   

Aydin, Davies and Paul said they did not know that the 16-year-old had a knife, however, Judge Usah Karu said she was satisfied that all of the attackers knew about the weapon. 

Bartek was 21-years-old when he died (Image: Met Police)

'Heart of gold'

A statement from Bartek’s mum was read in court, in which she described him as a “wonderful boy with a heart of gold”.  

“Each day every day since the day he was born, I've had a deep bond with him. I promised him when he came into this world that I would protect him and never let him come to harm,” she said.  

His mum said their whole family are in a great deal of pain after losing Bartek, who had always put them first. 

“We often catch ourselves walking into his room to talk to him or even say his name, then comes the painful realisation that he’s not there and he never will be again,” she said.