Sarah Spina-Matthews News, Manchester
A man who killed a woman before “callously” hiding her naked body in his shed and denying all responsibility has been found guilty of murder.
Christopher Barlow, 62, of Pedder Street, Bolton, was arrested after the body of Mariann Borocz, 55, was found on his property on 23 December last year.
Barlow initially claimed he had no idea how Ms Borocz ended up there before changing his story and claiming he had panicked when he found her dead in his kitchen, his trial heard.
He was convicted of murder by a jury at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday.
The court heard Ms Borocz was last seen walking with Barlow on to his road on the morning of 14 December.
While their relationship remains unclear, she and Barlow were captured on CCTV footage shortly beforehand meeting at a nearby shop, where she was seen buying cans of cider before the pair left together.
It is unknown exactly what happened when the they reached Barlow’s address but the prosecution told the trial he killed Ms Borocz shortly afterwards.
A post-mortem examination did not provide a conclusive cause of death but ruled out natural causes.
The pathologist said potential causes could include asphyxiation due to unexplained marks on Ms Borocz’s neck, or hypothermia, given she was found naked in an outside shed.
There was also evidence of previous assaults but these were not believed to have contributed to her death.
Ms Borocz had been reported missing by her family on 15 December, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
Police later identified Barlow from CCTV footage and spoke to him at his home a week later, where he denied ever having met Ms Borocz.
When he was arrested two days later he told police he did not have a shed and that his mobile phone had been stolen.
‘Unspeakable crime’
The phone and a key to his shed were later found under his pillow and Ms Borocz’s body was found.
Her clothes, mobile phone, handbag and passport were also discovered in a bin in his yard, and Barlow’s DNA was found on Ms Borocz’s clothes and body.
A sock found in Barlow’s house also had his victim’s DNA on it.
Special prosecutor Rebecca Macaulay-Addison described Barlow’s actions as “callous” and said he had shown no remorse.
She said: “He took steps to prevent Ms Borocz’s body being found at his address by lying to his friend and cancelling his cleaner so neither would attend his house.
“When Ms Borocz’s body was found in his shed, he claimed to have no knowledge of her being there, nor any involvement in her death.”
Ms Macaulay-Addison said she hoped the trial’s outcome would give Ms Borocz’s family a sense of justice for “this unspeakable crime” committed against her”.
“Our thoughts remain with Ms Borocz’s family for the loss they have endured,” she said.
Barlow was due to be sentenced on Friday.
