A POLICE boss has paid tribute to a group of teenage onlookers whose vital evidence helped a jury deliver a guilty verdict in a murder trial.
Detective Chief Inspector Steve Whittaker, who led South Yorkshire Police’s prosecution of 27-year-old Ricky Ramsden, told the Chronicle the young eyewitnesses’ accounts were key in piecing together Dawid Szubert’s final movements.
The 39-year-old Polish national was unconscious having inhaled spice, a former legal high, in Mandela Gardens in the town centre, before Ramsden delivered a stamp which caused a fatal bleed on the brain at about 3.30pm on June 17.
A jury found Ramsden, who had been on a 24-hour alcohol binge, guilty of murder following a two-week trial in Sheffield last Thursday.
DCI Whittaker said: “It became clear very quickly upon arrival that Mr Szubert had been subjected to a vicious attack.
“The forensic post-mortem confirmed our suspicions, stating that Mr Szubert’s cause of death was a severe head injury - consistent with his head being stamped on.
“I’m incredibly grateful to those individuals, particularly the bravery of a group of teenagers who were skateboarding in the area, who came forward and spoke to police about Mr Szubert’s death, going on to give evidence in this case at Sheffield Crown Court.
“When the incident was first reported, Mr Szubert had no ID on him so the public appeals were of vital importance to identify him and work out what happened to him.
“Through numerous witness statements and CCTV, we were able to subsequently identify Ramsden.
“Two days after Mr Szubert’s death, he was arrested on suspicion of murder.”
Ramsden, who bragged about the incident to friends via social media messages, admitted stamping on Mr Szubert’s head but denied doing so with excessive force, and subsequently pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder.
“The brutality and callousness shown by Ramsden is as shocking as it is appalling and throughout our inquiry, he has shown no remorse for his actions and has continued to deny his involvement in Mr Szubert’s death,” DCI Whittaker added.
“The court heard that on that day Mr Szubert, a Polish national who had lived in Barnsley for approximately two years, had taken spice and was laid unconscious.
“Ramsden took exception to this, walked over to Mr Szubert and stamped on his head, stating that he was sick of seeing ‘spiceheads’ and numerous witnesses heard him say that he was going to wait until the CCTV cameras turned away before he did something.
“The stamp caused a large bleed on his brain, immediately killing Mr Szubert.
“Ramsden then disposed of his clothing, footwear and mobile phone but despite his efforts to conceal his involvement in this horrendous crime, he has now been convicted.
“My thoughts remain with Mr Szubert’s family, who live in Poland, who have carried themselves with dignity throughout our investigation.”
