Sabina Nessa's killer has been given a life sentence for her brutal murder
Trigger warning: contains sensitive material and details of a murder
The man found responsible for the tragic murder of Sabina Nessa, Koci Selamaj, has been given a life sentence and ordered to serve at least 36 years in jail for his cruel actions. The 36-year-old attacked the primary school teacher last September, as she was making the five minute journey from her home via a London park to a nearby bar.
Reports say that Selamaj was captured on CCTV hitting the 28-year-old over the head 34 times until she became unconscious. He then carried her away, strangled her and removed her tights and underwear, before attempting to hide her body.
It's believed that the garage worker from Eastbourne, Sussex, acted out of rage after being spurned by his estranged wife, towards whom he allegedly has a history of abuse.
Ten minutes after he dragged Nessa away from the scene, Selamaj was again spotted on camera gathering up pieces of the murder weapon (a metal traffic sign) and trying to clean a bench using tissues, where part of the attack had been carried out.
Nessa's parents, Abdur Rouf and Azibun Nessa, shared a statement with the court earlier this week saying, "You had no right to take her away from us in such a cruel way. The moment the police officer came to our house and told her she was found dead our world shattered into pieces.
"How could you do such a thing to an innocent girl walking by, minding her own business? You are not a human being, you are an animal."
The family also called Selamaj a "coward" when he refused to leave his cell to appear at the Old Bailey courthouse.
Lisa Williams, the headteacher of Rushey Green Primary School, where Nessa taught, said the murder has had a 'devastating' impact on her class of 30 students: "For the rest of their lives, these young children will never be able to comprehend why someone murdered their teacher and the world in which they live is not safe for them to play in a park."
Lewis Power QC, representing Selamaj, told the court that the killer's family were in "shock and total disbelief" and that his client "simply accepts that he did it".
Our thoughts are with all of Nessa's loved ones at this dark time.
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