Killer who raped girl in London died of heart disease in jail cell

12 April 2012

A serial rapist and killer dubbed "The Beast" died of heart disease in the jail where he was serving a life sentence, an inquest heard.

Illegal immigrant Andrzej Kunowski was jailed in March 2004 for strangling 12-year-old Katerina Koneva in 1997 in Hammersmith.

The Polish dry cleaner, who was questioned by detectives in connection with the murder of 13-year-old Milly Dowler, died aged 53 in high security Frankland Prison, Durham, last September.

He had attacked at least 30 women and children in the UK and in his home country, and was serving a whole life tariff which meant he would never have been freed.

The inquest in Chester-le-Street heard Kunowski, who died in his cell, had suffered a long history of heart problems and had undergone a heart bypass. He had previously suffered a heart attack and was diabetic.

After hearing evidence from Home Office pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper yesterday, County Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle directed the jury to return a verdict of natural causes.

Kunowski, who was living in Acton when he was jailed, came to Britain in 1996 after absconding from a Polish prison, where he had been convicted of 17 rapes.

He killed Miss Koneva, who had arrived from Macedonia in 1995, after following her home from school.

Katerina's father, Trajce Konev, returned home to come face to face with the killer and chased him into the street before finding his daughter's body.

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