Four Polish men were high on drink and drugs before they attacked an innocent man and his family in his home, a court has heard.

Two of the violent burglars were at Paul Kohler's Wimbledon home because of a drug debt, their sentencing at Kingston Crown Court heard today.

All four men are expected to receive substantial prison spells when they are sentenced tomorrow.

Earlier today: Violent burglar stood outside house and told police "they're inside"

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Shauna Ritchie defending Dawid Tychon (pictured above) said he and his co-defendants often drank and took drugs together in a Streatham park in the weeks leading up to the attack.

Miss Ritchie said the drugs were supplied by Mr Tomaszewski and both he and Mr Honc had run up a £600 debt.

Mr Tomaszewski had been initially relaxed about not getting the money back but learnt Mr Tychon had bought a car - the Volkswagen convertible used on the night of the attack - and demanded they help in a burglary.

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Oskar Pawlowicz

Mr Tychon was told by Mr Tomaszewski the man they were burgling was a "heavy drug dealer" who was also in his debt.

Miss Ritchie said Mr Tychon's role was to wait in the back garden in case anyone tried to flee.

He later heard Mr Kohler shouting out in pain and froze. Miss Ritchie said he ran to his car but realised he had dropped the keys and made his way home on foot.

In what was described as a lack of criminal sophistication the court was told he later went back to the garden to find the keys and was seen by a police officer and arrested.

He has apologised to Mr Kohler in a letter.

DRUG DEBT

A drug debt meant two of the violent burglars was at Paul Kohler's house that night the court heard today.

Pawel Honc owed money to co-defendant Marius Tomaszewski who demanded he pay off the debt by helping him.

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Defending Mr Honc, Rossano Scamardella said nothing could take the seriousness of the offence away but he would respond to Mr Kohler's plea this morning for the reason why the family were targetted.

Mr Scamardella said: "Mr Honc was given these drugs on a tip.

"He couldn't pay that debt back and he was then in debt to Mr Tomaszewski.

"Mr Tomaszewski asked him to go to a house where he knew full well what would happen."

He added he did not realise the victims were not part of the world he mixed in.

Mr Honc had no previous convictions whereas his co-defendants have clocked up a number of previous convictions for which they have been in prison in Poland.

TOLD IT WAS A BURGLARY


Defending Oskar Pawlowicz, Ben Rich said he had not been told he was collecting debt but that he had been told it would be a burglary.

Mr Rich said Mr Pawlowicz believed he could help himself to goods and was expecting to find antiques at the Kings Road home.

Mr Pawlowicz did not attack Mr Kohler but went straight upstairs and took laptops he found on the bedroom floor, the court heard.

His statement said he spoke to Samantha MacArthur but did not put anything over her head, contrary to other reports.

The court heard he had previous convictions between 2002 and 2010 for violent disorder, affray, robbery and four burglaries for which he served time in prison.

He also received a three month suspended sentence for a sexual assault  in 2006 and one month in prison for possession of an offensive weapon. 

CONFRONTED ATTACKERS

Mr Kohler stood in front of the men who brutally attacked him and pleaded for them to tell him why.

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The four defendants looked down at the ground as Mr Kohler faced them for the first time since the terrifying break-in last year.

He read out a statement in the witness box with his wife by his side.

He said: "The attack on our home destroyed the calm of a family evening.

"The pointless ferocity and utter senselessness, endangered my family's peace of mind, my psychological well being and risked fermenting issues within the wider community both in Wimbledon and beyond.

"I believe all the affected parties have ultimately emerged stronger from this experience.

"I am optimistic that in time the same will even be true of the perpetrators who I genuinely hope will give us the opportunity to truly forgive them."

He asked for an explanation of why they were attacked and asked the burglars to prove their sorrow by turning their back on "their lives of petty and vicious criminality."

Mr Kohler said he had suffered repeated nightmares and flashbacks for months afterwards.

He said: "As my body has mended and the bruises subsided I have had a graphic and ongoing reminder of my recovery."

Speaking in a determined voice smartly-dressed Mr Kohler said it was the quick thinking of daughter Eloise, who thought she was hearing her parents murdered, who saved his life by calling police.

He said when the family now hear a knock at the door or hear voices in the street they feel apprehensive and are reluctant to leave any of their grown-up daughters home alone but they have no plans to move house.

Mr Kohler said: "We consequently feel aggrieved that the mindless action of the perpetrators has undermined the security of what has been a wonderfully happy family home for over two decades."

It had nothing to do with immigration and the family had been inundated with support from people including those from the Polish community, he added.

He said his wife Samantha had also suffered trauma that evening which had an on-going effect on her well being.

"She was obviously terrified to be confronted by two masked men on the landing and forced to lie down with her face covered and threatened with violence when she sought to go to my aid.

"She now feels nervous and vulnerable in her own house and is constantly reminded of that evening whenever she walks out of our bedroom."