Exclusive:Friend asked Joanna Derkacz 'if she was alive' amid fears about her relationship
“I even texted her asking if she was alive, if she was okay.”
A friend of an alleged murder victim texted her asking “if she was alive”, a court has heard.
Stephen Sexton, 38, is on trial accused of the murder of Joanna Derkacz, as well as rape, and controlling or coercive behaviour. The 37-year-old was found dead at the couple’s home in Nevinson Way, Waterlooville on December 28, 2023. Sexton denies the charges.
At Portsmouth Crown Court today (Thursday, June 2), the jury has heard evidence from two of Joanna’s friends. Dari Marukiew gave evidence via video link in the morning, while Katerzyna Sliwinska was in the witness box this afternoon.
The latter told the court of how Katerzyna was so concerned for Joanna’s welfare that she even checked with her “if she was alive”.
She said: “She came to my house once and was in a bad shape, shaken and crying, saying he got crazy and threw a water bottle at her. She said something about domestic abuse, and how she couldn’t find a decent guy.
“Joanna had said they had argued and there was something about a dog. She asked me to go with her so she could pick up a couple of things from her house.
“I asked him three or four times if he was okay but he didn’t say anything. She didn’t have her phone or anything, so later on I had to text Sexton on her behalf.”
Referring to another occasion, she added: “I even texted her asking if she was alive, if she was okay.”
The court established that this message was sent long before Joanna’s body was found at her home address in December 2023.
When acting as the “messenger” between Joanna and Sexton, the witness explained how he threatened to break up with Joanna if she did not return home.
In a Facebook message he said: “If she doesn’t want to sort us out and comes home soon to work on it together, then that’s answer enough for me - I will let her go.
“Tell her thanks for everything and goodbye forever.”
Sexton then blocked Katerzyna on Facebook, she added, preventing her from sending a response on Joanna’s behalf.
Katerzyna, who affectionately called Joanna “Czika”, received other messages from the alleged murder victim, about how Sexton had “destroyed” their house.
She said: “I asked Joanna what she means and she said he had to prove a point of making a mess, to show how angry he was.”
(Proceeding)