Case No. 20865Murder · Co. Wexford · 25 May 2023

Adrian Zelek charged with murder of Michal Gladyszewski in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford

On the evening of Thursday 25 May 2023, Michal Gladyszewski, a 45-year-old Polish man, was fatally stabbed at his home at Westbury Woods in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. Adrian Zelek, 21, from Westbury Wood in Enniscorthy, was arrested at Westbury Woods at 9.45pm that night. On 28 May 2023 he was charged at Enniscorthy Garda Station with murder and with assaulting and obstructing gardaí, attempting to escape custody, and producing a knife, and he made no reply when charged. At Gorey District Court on 1 June 2023 the judge refused bail, remanded him in custody to 12 June pending a DPP direction, and ordered a neuropsychologist report.

  1. Reported26 May
  2. Arrested25 May
    5 reports
  3. Charged25 May
  4. In court27 May
    3 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
A man in his 40s was fatally stabbed at a house in Co Wexford and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Where
The incident took place at a house at 63 Westbury Woods, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.
When
The stabbing took place on the evening of Thursday 25 May 2023; sources differ on the time, saying shortly after 8pm, shortly before 9pm, or late on Thursday night.
Other details
  • The victim was Michal Gladyszewski (also spelled Michael), a 45-year-old Polish native who had lived in Ireland for about 10 years and had married less than a year before his death.
  • Adrian Zelek, 21, from Westbury Wood in Enniscorthy, is the accused; no nationality is stated in the facts.
Cause
The victim had a row with his killer before being stabbed as many as four times, and gardaí believe he knew his killer.
Weapon
The victim was found with a knife wound, and the accused is charged with producing a kitchen knife during a dispute at his home on 25 May.
Investigation
  • Gardaí received reports at about 8pm of an unresponsive man with serious injuries, and the death is being treated as suspicious.
  • Zelek was arrested at Westbury Woods at 9.45pm on Thursday 25 May and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984, with a Senior Investigating Officer directing the investigation from Enniscorthy Garda Station.
  • The Garda Technical Bureau carried out a forensic examination of the scene, and gardaí appealed for CCTV or dashcam footage and for anyone near Westbury Woods between 6pm and 9pm on Thursday.
Charges
  • Zelek was charged with the murder of Michal Gladyszewski at Enniscorthy Garda Station at 2.35pm on 28 May 2023 and made no reply when charged.
  • Zelek was also charged with assaulting a garda on 27 May, two counts of attempting to escape custody on 26 and 27 May, obstructing gardaí, and producing a weapon.
In court
  • Zelek appeared at Gorey District Court, where his solicitor sought a psychological assessment and the judge granted legal aid and ordered psychological and medical assessments.
  • On 1 June 2023 the case was heard at Gorey District Court with the accused in a Garda van in the courthouse underground carpark; the judge refused bail and remanded him in custody to 12 June while awaiting a DPP direction.
93 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA man was fatally stabbed in an incident at a house in Co Wexford. (rte.ie)
  • whatThe victim was a man in his 40s. (rte.ie)
  • whatThe man was pronounced dead at the scene. (rte.ie, garda.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • whatA man was fatally assaulted in Enniscorthy. (garda.ie)
  • whatA fatal assault on a man occurred in County Wexford. (garda.ie)
  • whatA man died after being stabbed. (extra.ie)
  • whatA man was fatally stabbed in Co Wexford on the evening before the report. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe victim was pronounced dead at the scene. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe body of a Polish man in his 40s was found with a knife wound. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe incident took place at a property in the Westbury Woods area of Enniscorthy. (rte.ie)
  • whereThe fatal assault happened in Enniscorthy, County Wexford. (garda.ie)
  • whereThe incident was at a residence at Westbury Woods, Enniscorthy. (garda.ie)
  • whereThe stabbing happened at a house in Co. Wexford. (extra.ie)
  • whereThe fatal assault happened in Westbury Woods, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe fatal assault happened in the Westbury Woods housing estate in Enniscorthy. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe victim was stabbed at his home in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe body of Michael Gladyszewski was found at a house in Enniscorthy. (rte.ie)
  • whereThe accused and the victim were from Westbury Wood in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe murder victim was Michal Gladyszewski, and the killing took place at 63 Westbury Woods, Enniscorthy, Wexford. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe incident happened shortly before 9pm the previous night. (rte.ie)
  • whenThe fatal assault happened on the evening of Thursday 25 May 2023. (garda.ie)
  • whenThe assault occurred on the evening of Thursday 25 May 2023. (garda.ie)
  • whenGardaí received reports at about 8pm. (garda.ie)
  • whenThe fatal assault happened shortly after 8pm on Thursday. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe fatal stabbing happened on a Thursday night, shortly after 8pm. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe stabbing happened late on Thursday night. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenGardaí received reports at about 8pm of an unresponsive male with serious injuries at a residence at Westbury Woods. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe killing is alleged to have happened on Thursday, 25 May. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe killing took place on 25 May 2023. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeThe victim was stabbed as many as four times. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeThe victim and his killer had a row before the stabbing. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeEmergency services found the victim at the address, having been fatally stabbed. (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponThe victim was found with a knife wound. (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponThe victim had a knife wound. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationA man in his 20s has been arrested and taken to Enniscorthy Garda Station for questioning. (rte.ie)
  • investigationGardaí have secured two scenes in the town. (rte.ie)
  • investigationGardaí are gathering evidence at the two scenes. (rte.ie)
  • investigationA post-mortem examination will be conducted on the victim's body. (rte.ie)
  • investigationThe State Pathologist's office was notified and a post-mortem was expected later that day. (garda.ie)
  • investigationA man in his 20s has been arrested. (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe arrested man is detained at a Garda station in Wexford under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. (garda.ie)
  • investigationA Senior Investigating Officer is directing the investigation at Enniscorthy Garda station. (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe residence at Westbury Woods is preserved for technical examination by the Garda Technical Bureau. (garda.ie)
  • investigationGardaí appeal for anyone with information to come forward. (garda.ie)
  • investigationA man in his 20s who was in the house at the time was arrested and is being held at Enniscorthy Garda Station. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí are treating the incident as a suspicious death. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • investigationA post-mortem will determine the direction of the Garda investigation. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGarda Technical Bureau members are carrying out a full forensic examination of the scene. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe results of the full postmortem will direct the course of the investigation. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationA man in his 20s who was in the house at the time was arrested. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGarda Technical Bureau members carried out a full forensic examination of the scene on Friday. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí are appealing for anyone who was near Westbury Woods between 6pm and 9pm on Thursday. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí are asking for CCTV or dashcam footage. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationA family liaison officer has been appointed. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí believe the victim knew his killer. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationA man was arrested a short time later. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe suspect is being detained at a Garda station in Wexford under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationA post-mortem examination was expected to take place on the day of the report. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationA full investigation is being conducted at Enniscorthy Garda station under a Senior Investigating Officer. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí arrested Adrian Zelek at Westbury Woods at 9.45pm on Thursday 25 May. (rte.ie)
  • investigationA detective garda said he arrested the accused at Westbury Woods at 9.45pm on the Thursday. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationZelek was arrested at 27 Westbury Woods at 9.45pm on Thursday, 25 May. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeGardaí charged a man aged in his 20s who had been arrested. (garda.ie)
  • chargeAdrian Zelek appeared at Gorey District Court charged with murder and other offences. (rte.ie)
  • chargeAdrian Zelek is charged with the murder of Michael Gladyszewski at an address in Enniscorthy. (rte.ie)
  • chargeAdrian Zelek was charged with all the offences at Enniscorthy Garda Station at 2.35pm on 28 May. (rte.ie)
  • chargeThe accused was charged with murder of his stepfather. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe accused was also charged with assaulting and obstructing gardaí, attempting to escape custody and production of a weapon. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe accused was charged at Enniscorthy Garda Station and made no reply when charged. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeZelek is charged with the murder of Michal Gladyszewski. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeZelek is charged with producing a kitchen knife in the course of a dispute at his home on 25 May. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeZelek is charged with assaulting a garda at Enniscorthy Garda Station on Saturday, 27 May. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeZelek is charged with two counts of attempting to escape from Enniscorthy Garda Station while in custody, on 26 and 27 May. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe man is due to appear before a special sitting of Gorey District Court on Saturday 27 May 2023 at 3:30pm. (garda.ie)
  • courtThe accused made no reply when charged. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe solicitor for the accused asked for a psychological assessment for her client. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe judge requested psychological and medical assessments for Adrian Zelek and granted legal aid. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe judge said bail cannot be granted on a murder charge at the District Court and remanded Adrian Zelek to appear at Gorey District Court on Thursday 1 June. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe judge requested psychological and medical assessments for the accused and granted legal aid. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe accused was remanded to appear before Gorey District Court the following Thursday, as the District Court cannot grant bail on a murder charge. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe case was heard at Gorey District Court with the defendant sitting in a Garda van in the underground carpark of a courthouse. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtA neuropsychologist report on Zelek has been ordered. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe case was adjourned to 12 June and Zelek was remanded in custody to that date while awaiting a DPP direction. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe judge said there was no question of bail. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherA Family Liaison Officer has been appointed to keep the family informed. (garda.ie)
  • otherNo other injuries were reported. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe body was moved to University Hospital Waterford after a preliminary examination by an official from the State Pathologist’s office. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe arrested man is being detained at a Garda station in Wexford under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe attacker fled the house and went to a property elsewhere in the area. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe victim died at the scene. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe suspect is 21 years old. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe victim had been married less than a year before his death. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe victim was a Polish native who had lived in Ireland for around 10 years and was originally from Lublin. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 2 Jun2023
    Murder case heard in underground carpark in Wexford with accused in Garda van

    First report of the case. Adds the murder charge, the knife charge, the garda assault and escape charges, the court hearing in the courthouse underground carpark, the remand in custody to 12 June, and the refusal of bail.

    accused, Adrian Zelek, 21, male, namedAdrian Zelekvictim, Michal Gladyszewski, maleMichal Gladyszewski
  2. 29 May2023
    Man charged with murdering stepfather in Wexford after stabbing horror

    Reports the court appearance at Gorey District Court, the additional charges, the arrest details, and that the accused was remanded and assessments requested.

    accused, Adrian Zelek, 21, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Adrian Zelekvictim, Michael Gladyszewski, 45, male, non-irish (judged from name)Michael Gladyszewski
  3. 27 May2023
    Man charged with murder of man in Wexford

    Reports the accused's appearance at Gorey District Court on 28 May 2023 and the charges, including assaulting and obstructing gardaí, attempting to escape custody and production of a weapon. Names the victim as Michael Gladyszewski, found dead at a house in Enniscorthy. Adds that the judge ordered psychological and medical assessments, granted legal aid, and remanded the accused to 1 June.

    suspect, Adrian Zelek, 21, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Adrian Zelekvictim, Michael Gladyszewski, male, non-irish (judged from name)Michael Gladyszewski
  4. 27 May2023
    Tributes paid to newlywed gruesomely stabbed to death in his Wexford home

    Adds victim details (Polish native, originally from Lublin, living in Ireland about 10 years, married less than a year before his death), the arrest of a 21-year-old man detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984, a Garda appeal, and the victim having died at the scene. The suspect is not named.

    victim, Michal Gladyszewski, 45, male, Polish, non-irishMichal Gladyszewskisuspect, 21, male
  5. 26 May2023
    Gardaí appeal for witnesses after man dies in Enniscorthy stabbing incident

    Adds that the death is being treated as suspicious, that the victim was a Polish man in his 40s found with a knife wound, that the arrested man in his 20s is believed to be known to him, and that gardaí appealed for witnesses and CCTV or dashcam footage for 6pm to 9pm on Thursday.

    victim, 40s, male, Polish, non-irishsuspect, 20s, male
  6. 26 May2023
    Man, 20s, arrested after fatal stabbing in Wexford

    Adds that the victim was found with a knife wound and pronounced dead at the scene, that the arrested man in his 20s was in the house and is believed to know the dead man, that the death is being treated as suspicious, and that a post-mortem and forensic examination are under way.

    victim, 40s, male, Polish, non-irishsuspect, 20s, male
  7. 26 May2023
    Man Dies After Being Stabbed At House In Co. Wexford

    Only the headline survived; the body is missing. The headline's details (a man dying after a stabbing at a house in Co Wexford, published 26 May 2023) fit existing case 20865, the fatal stabbing in Enniscorthy on 25 May 2023. No incident date is given in the article.

    victim, male
  8. 25 May2023
    One Man Arrested in Connection with Fatal Assault in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Thursday 25th May 2023

    Official Garda press release, issued 26 May 2023. It gives no names, and it reports the arrest of a man in his 20s and the Section 4 detention. It does not mention a murder charge.

    victim, 40s, malesuspect, 20s, male
  9. 25 May2023
    Court Appearance: Fatal Assault Enniscorthy County Wexford - Thursday 25th May 2023

    Garda press release announcing the charge and the special court sitting in Gorey on 27 May 2023. It does not name the victim or suspect and does not use the word murder.

    victim, maleaccused, 20s, male
  10. 25 May2023
    Man dies following stabbing at house in Co Wexford

    RTÉ report published Friday 26 May 2023 confirms the victim was a man in his 40s who was pronounced dead at the scene and that a man in his 20s was arrested. It does not name either man and gives no charge.

    victim, 40s, malesuspect, 20s, male