Publication date:
A woman has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum tariff of 14 years after admitting the murder of Anthony Browne (54) in his home in west Belfast in October 2022. Wiktoria Maksymowicz (35) pleaded guilty at Belfast Crown Court in May 2024 to Mr Browne’s murder. Maksymowicz had previously pleaded not guilty at an arraignment hearing in October 2023.
PPS Senior Public Prosecutor Margaret Kinney said: “Anthony Browne was murdered in his home by Wiktoria Maksymowicz. She stabbed Mr Browne while he was in his bed in a violent attack.
“Mr Browne was a much-loved father. His senseless murder has brought his children and wider family circle tremendous loss and pain.
"I hope today’s sentencing hearing will help provide some healing and closure to them.
“The prosecution team in the PPS Serious Crime Unit worked closely with the Police Service of Northern Ireland as they carried out a full investigation, to bring Maksymowicz before the court and build a strong case against her, resulting in the guilty plea.
Ms Kinney added: “Anyone can be the victim of domestic abuse. It is never acceptable, and this case shows that it can have the worst possible outcome.
"I would encourage anyone experiencing domestic abuse to seek help and report the crime to police.
“We understand that some people may find this difficult, and we are committed to working with all of our criminal justice partners to ensure that victims are treated with sensitivity, fairness, and empathy.”