A father who disappeared from his Huddersfield home more than five years ago may have been murdered, the Examiner can reveal today.

As police launched a fresh appeal for information they revealed that missing Birkby man Dariusz Michalowski may have been killed, although a body has not been found.

Homicide detectives have now revealed that in May last year officers arrested three men on suspicion of murdering Polish man Dariusz, who was 44 when he disappeared.

The men, a 31-year-old from Barnsley, a 38-year-old from Halifax and 35-year-old from Liversedge, were questioned and released without charge, although inquiries are continuing.

The arrests were not made public at the time.

Dariusz Michalowski
Dariusz Michalowski

Police have now revealed that Dariusz, who was married with a daughter, had reported being attacked in February 2011 – a month before he disappeared.

A spokesman said: “Following extensive enquiries both within the UK and in Poland since 2011 and a Senior investigating Officer led review of the case, police believe it is possible Dariusz may well have come to harm.

“A full range of missing persons enquiries were made at the time he was reported missing and extensive searches were conducted in the Birkby area. Despite these he was never located and no body was found.”

Dariusz, who had come to the UK to work and was in regular contact with his wife and daughter in Poland, was last seen at his home on Macaulay Road in Birkby on Sunday March 13, 2011 at around 2.30pm.

He had been working as a gardener in the grounds of the Nostell Priory estate near Wakefield.

Since moving to Huddersfield, he had had a number of temporary jobs, including gardening and labouring.

When he disappeared he left many possessions in his Birkby home, including his passport.

Macaulay Road, Birkby

Det Supt Mark McManus said: “As part of our missing from home enquiry process Senior Investigating Officers regularly review long term missing persons cases, as we have done here.

“As a result of these reviews, further investigation and taking into account an assault Dariusz reported being the victim of in February 2011, officers determined there was a strong possibility he had been murdered.

“Following detailed enquiries three men were arrested on suspicion of murder in May 2015 in connection with his disappearance. They were questioned and eventually released without charge.”

Det Supt McManus added: “Clearly some time has now passed since Dariusz’s disappearance and it is possible that someone with information about what happened to him may now feel ready to come forward.

“Dariusz was a husband and father who was working to provide for a young family who deserve to know what happened to him.

“We have kept them informed throughout our investigation and continue to do so as our enquiries continue.

“I firmly believe the answers to Dariusz’s disappearance remain in the Birkby area and I want to appeal to anyone who can shed light on this case to come forward now, for the sake of his wife and daughter.”

Call police via 101.