Harrowing images taken from inside Poland’s incest house of horror have revealed the dingy basement where depraved Piotr Gierasik allegedly threw the newborn babies of his own daughter to die while they continued their four-year relationship.  

Piotr, 54, and Paulina Gierasik, 20, are facing life in prison for murder and incest after the remains of three infants were discovered at the property in the village of Czerniki, in northern Poland, last week. 

Police had conducted a visit at the property after receiving a disturbing tip-off from social services, but while combing the property for evidence discovered a filthy stench emanating from a basement inside the house.

Upon further inspection, they made the horrific find – the rotting corpses of three children who had been tossed into the pitch-black pit. 

Two of the babies were stuffed in plastic bags and buried in a shallow grave in the soft ground beneath the house. A third – believed to belong to another of Piotr’s daughters – was simply left to decompose.

Inspectors were forced to pick their way along a dank corridor crudely held together by cement and crumbling brickwork before lowering themselves into the gloom to make their gruesome discovery.  

Locals interviewed by local media told how the father and daughter were in a relationship for four years and ‘walked around hand-in-hand’. 

Colleagues of Paulina at a cake shop in the neighbouring village of Stara Kiszewa have now told how her father ‘shaved her head so that other boys wouldn’t look at her’ and that she looked up to him ‘as if he were God’.

The father and daughter – who are said to have ‘lived like a couple’ – were each charged with multiple counts of murder and each of incest.

Paulina’s colleagues said they became suspicious that she was pregnant after she started to wear large, loose-fitting clothes. She then took three weeks off work but returned a week later.

One fellow shop worker told the Super Express newspaper: ‘We all guessed she was pregnant, I think she had tied belts around herself like a sort of corset.

‘When she returned early from her holiday the change was visible. She was much thinner, weaker, and constantly tired.

‘When we asked about the child, she feigned surprise and denied it.’

Another local told Fakt newspaper: ‘They lived like a couple. She called him Piotr, by his first name. They walked around hand in hand.

‘A few months ago, he shaved her head so that other boys wouldn’t look at her.

‘She looked up to him as if he were God.’

Addressing the arrests earlier, Mariusz Duszyński from the District Prosecutor’s Office in Gdańsk said: ‘The woman has been charged with two counts of murder and a charge of having an incestuous relationship with her father.

‘The man was charged with three counts of murder, a charge of incest with his 20-year-old daughter, and a charge of having incestuous relations with another daughter.’

According to prosecutors, two of the murdered children came from his relationship with the 20-year-old who they say was in a consensual relationship with her father.

The third baby was from a relationship he had with another daughter after forcing her into sex.

The prosecutors added that they suspected him of killing the third baby.

Grażyna Wawryniuk from the District Prosecutor’s Office in Gdańsk told the Polish Press Agency: ‘Our system’s data shows that in recent years, proceedings have been conducted regarding abuse of other family members.

‘Even earlier, proceedings were conducted on suspicion of incest.

‘All these proceedings were ended at the stage of the prosecutor’s office due to the lack of data sufficient to justify the suspicion of committing the offences.’

She added that prosecutors would now re-examine the previous evidence.

The grim discoveries came after police received a tip-off from social services. One of Paulina’s work colleagues is reported to have alerted social services after seeing a ‘disturbing’ text message the 20-year-old had sent to her father.

Moving to the village around 15 years ago, Piotr was left to bring up his children after his wife died.

A family friend has said that Piotr Gierasik who lives off social benefits used to beat his former wife.

Described as a ‘loving and caring’ mother, the friend told Fakt newspaper that Hania, who died 15 years ago on 18 September, was regularly abused by her husband.

The friend said: ‘She was a caring mother and a very good woman.

‘But he was picking fights with her every day. The whole village could hear him shouting at her. Hania was regularly beaten up.

‘He had sex with his daughters when Hania was alive, she was not able to defend them.

‘She was never sick, but suddenly she lost weight, her hair fell out, she was hospitalised and never came out alive, her death was never explained, I don’t believe she just died like that, she was only 38 years old.

‘Hania was very important to her daughters, the children regularly visit her at the cemetery.’

One local told the Super Express newspaper: ‘The father was left alone with the children.

‘There are a lot of them, ten or twelve, the oldest ones have already left.

‘Piotr made a good impression. The yard is neglected, but he installed new windows in the house.

‘There was no sign of him drinking. He took the kids for walks or to the forest to pick mushrooms.

‘Just ordinary people. Who would have thought that such abominations existed in their home.’

But other locals told Fakt that while he ‘seemed calm’ he ‘had the devil under his skin’.

It comes as the small town of Czerniki – with a population of less than 180, located 50km from Gdańsk – has been accused of holding a ‘conspiracy of silence’ over the allegedly known relationship between the father and daughter.

Locals said they ‘always suspected something was wrong’ with the family.

One neighbour said: ‘We often heard him shouting at the children. His verbal abuse was shocking. Sometimes we’d hear one of girls screaming.

‘What people say now is that he used to go for walks with them. Maybe he did, but the whole village knew that something like this was happening.

‘It’s a tiny village, so everyone knew about these things.

‘Around ten years ago, the police were told that he was sleeping with one of his daughters. But after they investigated they couldn’t find any concrete evidence.

‘The older daughter, who we suspected he had slept with was so scared she refused to say anything.

‘He [the father] has such a personality that everyone in this village was afraid of him. That’s why this case didn’t appear for so long’.

‘She later moved away, as did many of his other children. There were about twelve of them.’

A neighbour of the older daughter told Super Express: ‘She now lives in our village.

‘She has a decent husband. As far as I remember, everyone said that she ran away from that father.

‘If I were her husband, I would kill that monster. If someone hurt my wife like that, I would kill him too.

Police have so far discovered the remains of three babies buried in the family’s house.

Unconfirmed reports say that one of the bodies wrapped in a black plastic bin liner was about three weeks old at the time of death.

Katarzyna Matyszczak, the manager of the confectionery shop where Paulina worked, said: ‘Everyone was gossiping about it.

‘His youngest daughter Paulina is a beautiful girl. Everyone said she was pregnant. So I asked about it directly.

‘She denied it. One of her friends didn’t believe it. I won’t say who, but she was the one who informed the relevant services about the whole matter, because she suspected that she had given birth to a child.’

Prosecutors are now waiting for an autopsy to determine how the three babies died. Meanwhile, police are continuing to search the property to see if any more bodies are hidden in the house.

Both the father and daughter are currently in detention as the investigation continues.

It is the ultra-realistic tech sweeping social media – with ‘paparazzi’ pictures of celebrities often believed to be genuine.

Many people are shocked, and a little disturbed, to find out that images they think are real have in fact been made by a computer.

AI-generated images have exploded in recent months, whether it be celebrities reimagined as pensioners or entire exhibitions dedicated to computer-made artwork – much to the fury of human artists. 

But can you spot the difference between what’s real and what’s fake?

Take MailOnline’s quiz to see if you can tell which pictures are genuine and which are AI-generated… 

1. Donald Trump arrested 

2. Elon Musk dating rival motor company CEO

3. Supermodel Bella Hadid becomes a bald robot  

4.  Pope Francis opts for oversized puffer jacket

5. Britney Spears ‘s floating necklace  

6. Tom Cruise and his stunt doubles 

7. Rita Ora’s reptile face 

8. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg walks the runway 

9. Billionaire Elon Musk as a toddler

10. Former President Donald Trump’s mugshot 

Answers 

Which ones did you get right? 

1. This picture is fake! An AI-generated image of Donald Trump trying to run away while being arrested by police was posted on Twitter in March with the caption: ‘Making pictures of Trump getting arrested while waiting for Trump’s arrest.’

2. This picture is fake! This image of Tesla CEO Elon Musk walking hand in hand with Mary Barra, the CEO of rival car company General Motors, was generated by AI. After the image was posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, as a ‘breaking’ story, Musk replied saying he would ‘never wear that outfit’.

3. This picture is real! Supermodel Bella Hadid was transformed into a bald robot for a futuristic fashion campaign for designer Marc Jacobs. In this picture, Hadid poses nude and bald, wearing only a sculptural silver ear cuff with metal piping snaked around her. The fashion firm’s Heaven by Marc Jacobs Fall ’23 campaign was shot by Carlijn Jacobs and styled by Danielle Emerson.

4. This picture is fake! An image of Pope Francis donning a white puffer jacket instead of the usual robe circulated on social media, but though many people believed it to be real, it was in fact AI-generated. The viral image was created by Pablo Xavier, a 31-year-old man from Chicago, using Midjourney – an artificial intelligence image generator. 

5. This picture is real! After posting a picture of herself, Britney Spears and Cade Hudson on Instagram, Paris Hilton had to refute theories that the image was fake. Fans were convinced of this as Britney’s necklace appeared to be floating with only one chain. In a follow-up comment ‘to all of those asking’, Paris said the picture was taken on iPhone making it look blurry and then edited on an app called Remini to correct that, but that sometimes the AI ‘distorts the images’. ‘Didn’t want to even dignify this with a response,’ she added. ‘But some of these conspiracy theories are absolutely ridiculous.’

6. This picture is fake! Despite being known for playing characters which carry out daring acts in action movies, this picture of Tom Cruise and his stunt doubles is an AI-generated image. Cruise does all of his own stunts.

7. This picture is real! Walking the red carpet for the 2022 British Fashion Awards, singer Rita Ora sported striking reptilian facial prosthetics that closely mirrored her skin tone, as well as bleached eyebrows.

8. This picture is fake! Many were surprised to see that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg had made the move to catwalk modelling, but an image circulating on social media of the tech boss walking a runway kitted out in a glittery pink outfit was in fact AI-generated, using Midjourney image generator.

9. This picture is fake! An image of Elon Musk as a toddler wearing brown overalls made waves on social media but rather than being from the billionaire’s family archives, it was in fact AI-generated. The picture was captioned ‘Elon Musk was reportedly working on some anti-aging formula, but it got way out of hand’ which warranted a reply from Musk himself saying ‘Guys, I think I maybe took too much’.

10. This picture is real! Much to the shock of many on social media, the mugshot of Donald Trump released by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office on August 24 was actually real. Trump was photographed for the police mugshot after his arrest.

Disney has released first-look images of its renovated Disneyland Hotel – and revealed that the five-star Disneyland Paris property will reopen on Thursday, January 25, 2024.

Disney said in a statement that ‘every centimetre of the interior of this legendary establishment is undergoing a complete “reimagination” – from the spectacular grand lobby to the luxuriant rooms and suites’.

Future guests at the not-so-faraway hotel, Disney said, will experience ‘a new luxury concept interwoven with beloved royal Disney characters both classic and new’.

All 487 rooms and suites – 346 Superior Rooms, 82 Deluxe Rooms, 41 Castle Club Rooms, 16 Signature Suites, 1 Princely Suite and 1 Royal Suite – are ‘entirely redesigned with an elegant atmosphere as well as modern comfort and luxury amenities’, Disney said.

It continued: ‘The tradition of Disney storytelling can be found inside all rooms and suites, from artwork and subtle touches that celebrate iconic elements of Walt Disney Animation Studios royal stories down to the last decor details.’

Guests staying in The Castle Club – ‘an exclusive hotel within the hotel’ – will enjoy a range of VIP benefits and services, including extra privacy with a dedicated private elevator and check-in area, as well as a breakfast with Disney Princess characters in the Castle Club Lounge.

Suites, meanwhile, ‘will offer unprecedented levels of immersion into royal Disney stories’.

And whatever room they’re in – ‘children will be welcomed like princesses and princes during their stay’, declares Disney.

There will even be spaces tailored just to them, we’re told, such as the Royal Kids Club, ‘where they will be immersed in augmented reality magic and unforgettable encounters’.

And there’s more.

Disney continued: ‘[In the] My Royal Dream experience… young guests will be able to transform into their favourite Disney royalty with the help of regal hairstyles, special outfits, accessories and a little pixie dust.

‘And after a full day creating magical memories at the parks, families will have the opportunity to enjoy together a spa experience at Disneyland Hotel Spa by Clarins or a relaxation session in a dedicated space. Additionally, all the hotel’s restaurants, bars and lounges will offer kid-friendly treats and exquisite themed pastries.’

Disney added: ‘Disneyland Hotel is the first Disney hotel to propose a five-star journey celebrating Disney royalty in all its expressions. From Cinderella to Frozen and The Sword in the Stone, and from The Princess and the Frog to Moana, guests will be given the lead to become part of the story and create their own magical moments.

‘Combining their creativity with the expertise of European suppliers and craftspeople, the Walt Disney Imagineering Paris team has developed a singular, immersive experience that pays vibrant homage to both Disney royal stories and celebrated European landmarks such as Le Chateau de Versailles or Neuschwanstein Castle.

‘The hotel will offer its guests a unique entertainment program that creates memories alongside beloved royal Disney Characters, or Mickey, Minnie and their friends in new exclusive regal attire and even an exclusive La Troupe Royale Disney.’

Natacha Rafalski, Presidente of Disneyland Paris, said: ‘This marks a new chapter for Disneyland Paris, as we continue to be one of the leaders of the European tourism industry with our unique blend of immersive storytelling and world-class hospitality.

‘We are thrilled to unveil the newly reimagined Disneyland Hotel, a one-of-a-kind five-star property celebrating Disney’s beloved royalty and storytelling. Our commitment to innovation and unparalleled guest experiences remains unwavering, and we look forward to welcoming guests to one of the most immersive hotels in Europe.’

Reservations are now open at www.disneylandparis.com.

• Revamped colours and conversation filters are among changes being tested
• The changes vary depending on the type of device you are using 

By Lauren Haughey

Updated: 07:28 EDT, 6 September 2023

As the debut of Apple’s latest smartphone, the iPhone 15, gets closer, leaks and rumors are pouring out of the supply chain and amplified online by gadget obsessives. 

Now, multiple photos have emerged showing the new mobile device’s USB-C charging port — which may prove to annoy those tangled in their old cables, but will also help make the iPhone more compatible with a wider range of tech.

Apple rarely discloses the details of its upcoming iPhone before the official unveiling, but tech experts and patents usually give away what to expect. 

The consensus at the moment is that the iPhone 15 will boast a game-changing titanium alloy frame and a larger battery, alongside the expanded interoperability that comes with the new USB-C charging port.

The new iPhone 15 photos were posted to X (formerly Twitter) by an account that describes itself as a China-based hardware technician as well as by a Tennessee-based programmer. 

The images were posted to X (formerly Twitter) by user @lipilipsi, whose account is named ‘fix Apple’ and is self-described as a China-based ICC engineer for Apple and Chinese tech giant Huawei.

The posted images depict two USB-C ports with attached internal circuitry and ribbon cables. ‘fix Apple’ described it as the base model USB-C port for the iPhone 15, and the other as the USB-C for the iPhone 15 Plus.

A second account, Tennessee-based programmer @John011235, appeared to confirm this by posting the same components with the same labels, plus a third one identified as iPhone 15 Pro Max.

‘John’ also posted further pics of internal iPhone 15 components as well as images of the new iPhone 15 charging cable (see below), which was apparently for sale on a Chinese e-commerce site. 

Previously, footage of an iPhone 15 Pro ‘dummy’ was leaked last April, where it surfaced on Douyin, the Chinese company’s sister version of TikTok.

Alongside the titanium-based frame and a new solid-state volume button, which will likely be replacing the mute switch, the dummy also included the new USB-C charging port in place of the usual Lightning port.

The swap follows in line with previous statements from Apple’s executive Greg Joswiak, who told reporters that the tech giant was ‘having to comply’ with new USB laws passed by the EU.

‘Obviously, we’ll have to comply; we have no choice, just as we do around the world to comply to local laws,’ Joswiak said.

‘But we think the approach would have been better environmentally and better for our customers to not have a government be that prescriptive.’

Although there’s clear demand for the company to replace its own Lightning charging technology — discernible by its eight pins — with USB-C the change to its charging port is bound to be controversial. 

Apple’s history of switching cords and forcing consumers to purchase its proprietary versions has led to numerous customer complaints over the years.

Along with with these new hardware specs features, Apple is also suggested that the new mobiles device with will be powered with larger, improved batteries and wrapped in new colors — including some of the previous fan favorites.

Tech experts claim iOS users will have the options of a baby blue, mint green, pink and crimson shade when the smartphone launches in a few months.

An alleged Foxconn worker, the company that manufactures a bulk of Apple’s iPhones, told ItHome today that the iPhone 15 family is set to have larger batteries.

The iPhone 15 will feature an 18 percent larger battery, iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro a 14 percent larger battery, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max a 12 percent larger battery. 

The Cupertino-based company has not announced when it will release the new iPhone 15 family, but the event is typically held in September.

These gifted photographers are showing their true colours.

Their extraordinary work has been awarded in a contest that sets out to celebrate ‘today’s most remarkable colour images’ – the 2023 Colour Photography Contest run by Refocus Awards, a digital platform for photographers. 

The contest is divided into two sections – professional and amateur photography – with prizes handed out in individual categories such as ‘Wildlife’, ‘Landscapes’ and ‘Travel’ across each.

This year, entrants from 69 countries worldwide submitted their work. Among the winning shots, there’s a spectacular aerial picture of a Sicilian town that’s shaped like a human, a mesmerising image of a rare black leopard with a kill between its jaws and a vibrant picture of a thundering Icelandic waterfall.

Two images, however, reign supreme overall. In the professional section, it’s a picture of a pair of wrestlers relaxing after training in India that takes the top spot, while the victorious photograph from the non-professional section is a poignant image of a man scavenging at a dump in Angola. 

Scroll down to see MailOnline Travel’s pick of the colourful pictures that struck a chord with the judges…

Apple fans still have four months left to wait before the iPhone 15 is expected to arrive, but a new leak gives the most detailed view yet of the firm’s new flagship. 

‘Very accurate’ dummy units in a new video from MacRumors show all four of the new iPhone 15 models – including the standard model and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. 

Like previous leaks, the units show the iPhone 15 has a USB-C charging port instead of a Lightning port, due to legislation passed in 2022 by the European Union. 

All four models also have ‘frosted back glass’, curvier edges, and come with Dynamic Island, the pill-shaped notch at the top of the screen. 

It follows rumours that the high-end version of the new iPhone 15 will be Apple’s most expensive smartphone yet.

MacRumors revealed the four iPhone 15 dummy units in a video posted to YouTube, presented by content creator Dan Barbera. 

Dummy smartphones are sent out by phone makers to third-party case manufacturers in the run-up to a device’s release. 

Although the objects look exactly like the real thing, they tend to be made largely of plastic and don’t contain the required circuitry to actually function. 

Even so, MacRumors claims the dummy units provide ‘early impressions of what the iPhone 15 line-up is going to look and feel like’ when it’s released in September. 

‘All of the rumours that have been circulating about the upcoming iPhone 15 seem to be corroborated and confirmed with these dummy units,’ said Barbera. 

‘The dummy units are very accurate and show us a glimpse of what case manufacturers are using and expecting when it comes to the new iPhones.’ 

He said that at first glance the four iPhone 15 models ‘don’t look very different’ to last year’s iPhone 14, although there are ‘a few things’ that become noticeable on closer inspection. 

Firstly, the Lightning charging port of previous iPhones has gone, replaced by USB-C, the charging technology already used by Android phones.

Apple has had to switch from Lightning, discernible by its eight pins, to USB-C due to new European legislation that is aiming to reduce electronic waste. 

Barbera, who tried out the new port with a USB-C charger, seems certain that the charging technology is all but confirmed for the next iPhone. 

‘We’ve had basically confirmation from Apple themselves that this is going to happen – and that’s been the rumour for a while,’ he said. 

‘It’s nice just to be able to stick a USB-C cord into the bottom and actually see that it’s a perfect fit.’ 

‘You get that sense of relief that we’re finally going to be able to carry one cable for almost all modern-day electronics.’ 

The edges of the iPhone 15 are much curvier compared with the iPhone 14 models, which makes it more comfortable in the hand, according to Barbera. 

‘Those sharp corners, those sharp edges are a lot more rounded off now, they’re no longer squared, it’s kind of like a square-circle combination,’ he said. 

iPhone 15’s edges also have a more ‘dull, brushed’ look than the shiny metal edges on the iPhone 14 models, thanks to the use of titanium instead of stainless steel, while the back is a matte glass rather than polished glass. 

The switch control on the side of the iPhone 15 models is no longer a switch that users can toggle on and off, but a press-down button. 

Meanwhile, Dynamic Island – a feature introduced last year with just the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max – will feature on all iPhone 15 models, Barbera said. 

Dynamic Island is a pill-shaped notch at the top of the screen that hides the front-facing camera but also changes size to show important alerts, notifications and activities, blurring the boundary between hardware and software. 

Previous rumours suggested the new phone’s volume-up and volume-down buttons on the side of the iPhone 15 will be incorporated into one long seesaw-style button.

However, Barbera said this ‘is probably not going to happen this year’, suggesting Apple could introduce the single button for the iPhone 16 in 2024 instead. 

The new video from MacRumors isn’t the first to claim to show dummy units of the iPhone 15. 

Earlier this month, a video posted to YouTube by Unbox Therapy showed the dummy for the most expensive iPhone 15, which is variously referred to as ‘iPhone 15 Ultra’ and ‘iPhone 15 Pro Max’. 

This particular dummy also revealed a USB-C charging port, thinner bezels, ‘brushed aluminum edges’ and a press-down button instead of a switch on the top left edge. 

Overall, the Unbox Therapy presenter called the new device ‘incredible’ and ‘one of the best-looking models I’ve ever handled or looked at’. 

Various sources are divided as to whether prices for the iPhone 15 family of smartphones will be higher than the iPhone 14.

One report from Taiwan’s United Daily News says the iPhone 15 Pro Max will be RMB 20,000, equivalent to $2,900 or £2,300. 

However, Patently Apple calls this price rumour ‘a propaganda campaign’ started by Apple’s rivals in an attempt to direct them towards Chinese-made smartphones. 

Apple is gearing up to release another huge product next month – its first ever mixed reality headset, which is expected to work closely with the next iPhone. 

How many can YOU guess? Satellite images show iconic landmarks from above – so do you know the Eiffel from the Blackpool Tower?

• MailOnline used Google Earth to compile satellite images of famous sites
• So do you know the Eiffel from the Blackpool Tower? Take the test to find out 

By Lauren Haughey

Updated: 09:46 EDT, 28 May 2023

The best aerial shots of New York… ever: Photographer captures breathtaking images of the Big Apple from three miles up in an open-door helicopter

By Ted Thornhill, Mailonline Travel Editor

Published: 08:31 EDT, 13 May 2023 | Updated: 08:35 EDT, 13 May 2023

Advertisement

‘Every piece of this island is so stunning, that sometimes we can’t believe it’s real.’

So says photographer Karol Kru, who has been capturing spellbinding pictures of the Portuguese island of Madeira since he moved there with his wife, Mary, last year.

Karol, 31, says that he and Mary, 30, ‘immediately fell in love’ with the island, known as the ‘Pearl of the Atlantic’.

The Polish adventure photographer tells MailOnline Travel: ‘There are so many places to be explored, so we’ve decided to stay here longer. Madeira has many amazing places, and that’s not an exaggeration. It has got everything from mysterious forests, high mountain peaks and graceful waterfalls to green valleys, sharp mountain spires and rough cliffs.’

Despite its beauty, Karol notes that Madeira is still a lesser-known travel destination for many. He says: ‘Coming here for a holiday isn’t a cliche. We like [to] explore the island, discovering new places [and] hidden gems.’

Mary, who is originally from Ukraine, occasionally features in his landscape photographs. The couple met whilst studying in China and have since devoted their lives to travelling the world, with photography eventually becoming Karol’s full-time job. Karol says that he sets out to show his followers the ‘real, raw Madeira’. Scroll down to see breathtaking pictures from his portfolio…

To see more photography from Karol visit his website, Instagram account and the YouTube account he shares with Mary.