POLISH authorities believe a man sought over the brutal murder of his wife in front of their four-year-old daughter may be hiding out in Ireland.

Poland has issued a European Arrest Warrant for Grzegorz Wlodarczyk, 35, who is wanted in connection with the horrific death of his wife Katarzyna, 38, last month.

2 Grzegorz Włodarczyk is wanted in Poland in connection with the violent murder of his wife Katarzyna

2 Katarzyna Włodarczyk

They have also circulated his photo to the media to help track him down.

The alarm was raised on March 23, when the dead woman’s family arrived at the family home in the eastern town of Trawniki.

She had not been answering her phone since noon the previous day and found the front door of the house open and Katarzyna lying in a pool of blood inside.

She had suffered up to 17 stab wounds in the chest, torso, neck and head.

Prosecutor Agnieszka Kępka of the District Prosecutor’s Office in nearby Lublin confirmed a wound to the chest near the heart had been fatal.

The couple’s distraught four-year-old daughter was found wrapped in a blanket and locked inside a cupboard, but unharmed.

A phone belonging to her husband was on the kitchen table and the couple’s car was parked outside.

Reports in Poland indicate the child witnessed her mother’s death and that police believe Wlodarczyk may have made his way to Ireland.

The tot has since been taken into the care of the dead woman’s family.

After initial investigations, a local prosecutor issued an arrest warrant for Grzegorz Wlodarczyk, which has since been upgraded to a European Arrest Warrant.

NEIGHBOURS DESCRIBED THE COUPLE AS 'HAPPY' AND 'NORMAL'

Dozens of uniformed officers carried out a search of the surrounding area.

The following day, a nearby forest was checked with the aid of a helicopter with a thermal camera, while a local well was also pumped out by firefighters.

However, no trace of the missing man was found.

Construction worker Wlodarczyk is described as six foot tall, of stocky build and with short dark hair and brown eyes.

He also has a tattoo of a guitar with wings on the calf of his left leg.

In a statement, police said: “Preliminary findings and an examination of the body indicate that third parties have contributed to the woman’s death.

"Police officers worked on the site until late in the evening under the supervision of the prosecutor’s office.

“Police officers are looking for a woman’s husband, 35-year-old resident of the commune, who may be involved in this matter.

“Anyone with knowledge of his place of rest are asked to urgently contact the nearest police.”

Elwira Domaradzka, spokeswoman for police in nearby Swidnik added: “We are still searching for 35-year-old Grzegorz Włodarczyk.

“The investigation is assisted by police officers from the Provincial Police Headquarters in Lublin and our officers.”

Neighbours said they were shocked at the killing and described the couple as “happy” and “normal” and could often be seen around the area holding hands.

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One told local media: “They moved here a few years ago. They bought a house. They looked so happy.

“She looked after their daughter and he worked on the railroad.

"They seemed fine, they were slowly doing up the house."