UTV News - Man guilty of car park murder

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Man guilty of car park murder

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Shirley Finlay was killed in Ballymena in 2006
A Polish national has been found guilty of murdering a vulnerable woman in Ballymena.

A jury at Antrim Crown Court convicted former meat plant worker Henryk Gorski, 52, of her murder.

Shirley Finlay was killed two days before turning 25 in Gorski's Ballymena flat.

Her naked body, wrapped in a duvet cover bound in black bin bags, was discovered in the Hill Street car park of Ballymena Baptist Church in September 2006.

The vulnerable victim had a history of mental health problems. She had been in and out of care from a young age.

Antrim Crown Court heard she was strangled and also had bruising to her neck, scalp, face and left eye.

'Evil man'

Outside the court, Shirley's foster mother, Mary Corry, said: "Part of why we sat here every day for eight weeks is because I suppose we do feel a bit guilty for not being there for the last year of her life but we always loved her and we let her down I think.

"We have to take responsibility for that. That's why we've stood by her for the last three years to make sure that justice was done."

In a statement the PSNI have welcomed the conviction.

"Gorski is an evil man who killed a vulnerable and defenceless young woman. He is still in denial and has shown no remorse," the statement said.

"We built a strong forensic case and we got considerable assistance from the community in Ballymena.

"All our communities are a lot safer today now that he is behind bars."

It was the second trial for Shirley Finlay's family.

The first one was aborted earlier this year for legal reasons.

Gorski will be sentenced at a later date.

© UTV News

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At 20:09 on 21 October 2009, anon wrote:
Shirley is my friend i can't believe that sick and evil man would do such a thing to a such beautiful girl. When he is being sentenced i hope he gets life. He took a life he should serve a life term with no appeal or parole. Now Shirley can rest in peace in the arms of the angels. x
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