Hull: Mother and son sentenced for more than two decades for murder

A mother and son have been sentenced today, 19th December 2019, for a total of 21 and a half years in prison for their involvement in the murder of 52-year-old Lithuanian man Rolandus Poskus in Hull. 

Mantas Pundzius, 24, (left) of Boulevard in Hull was jailed for a minimum of 19 years for murder. His mother 42-year-old Janina Milieskiene of Arthur Street in Hull who was also Rolandus Poskus’ partner received 2 and a half years in prison for assisting an offender.

Mr Poskus’ body was found on grassland off Dane Park Road in Orchard Park in Hull on 15 June. He had been severely beaten by Mantas Pundzius at the home he shared with Janina Milieskiene on Arthur Street two days before his body was found. 

He’d suffered multiple fractures to his ribs, injuries to his brain and internal organs and had been hit over the head with a heavy weapon. 

Mantas Pundzuis then transported Mr Poskus’ body from Arthur Street following the murder to Orchard Park while his mother cleaned up the house to try and hide the crime. 

On sentencing today, Judge Paul Watson QC said about Mantas Pundzius: “This was a savage and sustained attack.

“The remorseless nature of the attack shows me you are a man with a seriously violent streak.

“Due to a misguided sense of loyalty to your mother you went round to exact retribution or at the very least confrontation. 

“What happened when you got there at Arthur Street defies credulity.”

Judge Watson went on to say about Janina Milieskiene (right): “You covered up the most serious of crimes (but) your attempts were not great.”

“I believe what you did was a rush of blood to the head.”

Detective Chief Inspector Christine Calvert from Humberside Police’s Major Crime Team said today: “Following a difficult investigation into this vicious crime, and having sat through the subsequent two week trial, I welcome today’s sentencing of these two individuals.

“Rolandus Poskus’ endured a brutal beating at the hands of Pundzius before dying from his injuries.

“To add to this Mr Poskus suffered the ignominy after death of having his partly naked body dumped in a public place. 

“At every point throughout this, both Mantas Pundzius and Janina Milieskiene had shamelessly tried to cover their tracks in the hope by his own admission ‘to get away with it’.

“My officers worked tirelessly to make sure that these tracks were uncovered to bring the pair to justice.”

A photograph of Rolandus Poskus can be found below.