First pictures have been revealed of the horrific injuries suffered by a 100-year-old Derby woman - and the mugger who caused them.
Arthur Waszkiewicz, 40, was found guilty of robbing and killing Zofija Kaczan at Derby Crown Court.
A jury took just over two hours to find Arthur Waszkiewicz guilty of both manslaughter and robbery charges following an eight-day trial.
His victim, Zofija Kaczan, was robbed and later died shortly after she left her home in Empress Road, Normanton, and began her daily walk to church on the morning on May 28, last year.
Waszkiewicz, of Wolfa Street, got out of his car, pushed her to the ground and snatched her handbag which he stole the cash from and later discarded in Moore Street.
Mrs Kaczan suffered a broken neck and other injuries following the incident which took place at 8.45am, close to the junction of St Chads Road and Empress Road.
She died just over a week later from pneumonia which a pathologist told the trial developed as a direct result of her injuries.
Waskiewicz, who is Polish, showed no emotion as the foreman of the jury delivered its guilty verdict.
But, at the same time, his partner, who has been in the court's public gallery every day to support him, put her hand to her mouth in shock and said “Oh God, No”.
How we covered the guilty verdict today
DCI Darren De’ath, who led the investigation into the incident, said: “This was a horrendous crime that shocked me, my colleagues, the community in which it happened, and indeed the whole country.
“Mrs Kaczan survived the Nazi occupation of Poland before coming to Derby in 1948 to start her life afresh.
'An incredible woman'
“She was an incredible woman, who was well known and much loved in the community.
“Having just celebrated her 100th birthday she was in remarkable health - and was seen regularly walking to the church close to her him in Normanton.
“On that morning Artur Waszkiewicz showed absolutely no concern for Mrs Kaczan and his actions resulted in her death.
“I welcome the today’s verdict and hope it brings some closure to her friends and family to know the man responsible has been brought to justice.”
The attack took pace at the corner of Empress Road and St Chads Road at around 8.40am on Monday May 28, last year.
On way to church
Mrs Kaczan, of Empress Road, started her daily walk to the nearby St Maksymilian Kolbe Church at 8.38am and was seen on a neighbour's CCTV going down the street.
The trial saw footage of a Seat Leon car being driven by Waszkiewicz down Empress Road moments before the mugging.
He then got out of his car, knocked Mrs Kacvan to the round, snatched her green handbag from her and drove off leaving her injured on the pavement.
He then stole the money from inside the bag before dumping it in Moore Street.
Fingerprint was vital clue
However, a vital piece of evidence was found by police in the handbag which was found by street cleaners.
A receipt which contained his fingerprint.
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Lynsey O’Donnell, senior crown prosecutor at the CPS East Midlands, said: “The evidence in this case created a jigsaw that, when pieced together, showed no-one else could have carried out the attack.
“We presented CCTV and mobile phone evidence to prove he was there at the time of the attack, evidence that he had stopped and got out of his car and that his behaviour afterwards showed he was hiding something more serious than finding and taking a handbag.
'Healthy lady lost her life'
“The saddest aspect of this case is that an otherwise healthy lady has lost her life so that this man could satisfy his selfish desire for easy money.
“Mrs Kaczan was well known and well thought of within her community and all those who knew her are devastated by her tragic death.
"On behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service, I would like to offer my sympathies to all those close to Mrs Kaczan."
During the trial, a statement was read out in which Mrs Kaczan told interviewing police officers what she could remember about the robbery which she made on May 29, the day after she was attacked.
In it she said: “Something hit me really hard to the back of my head and this made me fall to the ground.
“As I was on the floor, I looked around and couldn’t see anybody but I could see my bag had been stolen.
“The person who did this to me didn’t say anything.
“Inside my handbag was £180 cash, pictures, paperwork for the doctor’s, my bus pass and my pension card.”
Arrested in London
Prosecutor Kate Miss Brunner also told the jury how the defendant was arrested at his father’s home in London on suspicion of robbery days after it took place.
Miss Brunner said: “Neighbours of the defendant were spoken to and said he was a man that was desperate for money, even trying to sell his dog.
“They said after the robbery he changed his appearance. His hair that he wore quite long was shaved.
“He was panicking and making steps to distance himself from what was happening.”
Judge Nicholas Dean QC is scheduled to sentence Waszkiewicz on Thursday, February 14.
