Life For Killers

Two men have been jailed at Cardiff Crown Court after turning a former friend into a "human barbecue"

Polish-born Pawel Lysonik, 22, and Kamil Semrau, 28, murdered their victim by stuffing his clothes full of paper - then setting him on fire.

Victim Ramunas Raulinautis, 34, was found by a passer-by who described it as "like a scene from a horror film".

Mr Raulinautis had been badly beaten before being set aflame. He suffered 60 per cent burns and died later in hospital in March 2011.

Lysonik and Semrau, both from Poland but who moved to Newport, South Wales, denied murder but a jury found them guilty.

The pair were jailed for life - but Lysonik was told he must serve a minimum of 36 years in prison and Semrau must serve at least 30 years.

Judge Justice Roderick Evans told them: "This was a shockingly violent, cold blooded murder and you caused your victim extreme suffering.

"He was given a ferocious beating but his body was then so badly burned many of the injuries were unable to be seen by a pathologist.

"You stuffed paper into his clothing and set him alight - even in his injured state he must have been in agony."

Cardiff Crown Court heard no motive had ever been found for the killing because both had denied the murder on busy Chepstow Road in Newport, Gwent.

Eye-witness Derek Storey told the court: "I ran out to find him completely engulfed in flames from head to toe like a human barbecue."

Roger Thomas, defending, said: "Causing death by arson is extremely serious.

"The deceased was alive before he was set a light and he was likely caused serve agony.

"But this case did not involve a degree of premeditation - it is not as bad as setting someones house on fire with petrol."

Two other Polishmen, Lukas Kalkowski, 30, and Stanislaw Gliszczynski, 31, were cleared of murder after the jury decided they beat the victim but didn't start the fire.

They were sentenced to 17 years in jail after the jury found them guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent.

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