Disappearance of Henry Borynski

Henry Borynski (born 8 October 1910) was a Polish priest who served as Roman Catholic chaplain to the Polish community in Bradford in Yorkshire. He was last seen on 13 July 1953, and his sudden disappearance remains unsolved.

Background Henry Borynski was born in a small village outside Kraków to humble origins. With around 1,500 Polish refugees from Communism in Bradford, it was the largest Polish emigre community in the North of England. Borynski was known for the anti-communist nature of his sermons. By all accounts, Borynski was well-liked and respected by all those he came into contact with. Martynellis claimed to have retired from his post for health reasons. Martynellis had actually been removed from his post following complaints that he kept a mistress that he described as his "niece". Martynellis entered into semi-retirement, but remained in Bradford and continued to perform Mass for the small local Lithuanian community. Following the first telephone call, he visited Canon Martynellis. Martynellis later told reporters that Borynski had come to see him because he said he had received a telephone call from someone purporting to be speaking on his behalf. Martynellis had not phoned him, nor had authorised anyone to make the telephone call. Police confirmed that there was no evidence that Borynski had been a victim of a Soviet assassin.

Police ultimately came to the conclusion that Borynski's disappearance was not voluntary, but were unable to determine his whereabouts.

An MI5 report disparaged the lead investigator of the case for Bradford police, Superintendent Thomas Rushworth, who was described as, "physically on the eve of retirement, and mentally somewhat beyond it".

Canon Martynellis Police described Martynellis as the "main pivot" and the "focus" of their enquiry regarding Borynski's disappearance, and searched his home three times. The MI5 investigation regarded Martynellis as a man with "a dubious reputation", and suggested possible complicity in Borynski's disappearance between Martynellis and Polish intelligence services.

Theories In 1962 it was reported that assassin Bogdan Staschynski had claimed that he had killed Borynski with a cyanide injection in a case of mistaken identity. Taylor claimed that Martynellis was involved with Polish agents in arranging Borynski's abduction, saying that "Martynellis may have been told that this was the way to keep his old job and that he did not realise what he was getting involved in until it was too late". Taylor claimed that Catholic officials "knew more than they disclosed to police in Bradford at the time".

It was also suggested that Borynski was murdered by an overzealous member of Martynellis' congregation, who wished to see the priest reinstated. This was the theory favoured by the Bradford police.