French couple jailed for life for killing au pair
Sabrina Kouider, her partner killed their au pair Sophie in London in 2017
London, June 26: A French couple living in Britain who tortured and murdered their au pair and tried to dispose of the body in a back garden bonfire have been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 30 years.
The Old Bailey court in London sentenced Sabrina Kouider, who is undergoing psychiatric treatment, and Ouissem Medouni for the September 2017 killing of 21- year- old Sophie Lionnet, after a two- month trial ended on May 24 with their convictions.
“Sophie was a kind, gentle and good natured girl,” said Judge Nicholas Hilliard. “The suffering and the torture you put her through before her death was prolonged and without pity.”
He added: “I’m sure on all the evidence you were both involved.”
The jury deliberated for a week before unanimously convicting Kouider and ruling by a majority decision of 10 to 2 that her partner Medouni was also guilty.
Both had denied murdering Lionnet, from Troyes in eastern France, although they had admitted to burning her body.
The court heard how the couple had interrogated and tortured Lionnet over their belief she was conspiring with one of Kouider’s ex- boyfriends — Mark Walton, a former member of Irish band Boyzone — who they
◗ The couple had interrogated and tortured Sophie Lionnet over their belief that she was conspiring with one of Kouider’s ex- boyfriends, a former member of Irish band Boyzone
claimed sexually abused members of their family.
“She died as a result of purposeful and sustained violence, and not by accident,” state prosecutor Aisling Hosein said when they were convicted.
“They were both jointly involved and came up with a plan to try and destroy her body and escape responsibility for this horrendous crime.”
Kouider, who has two children, apologised to her victim in a letter read out in court Tuesday.
“I’m suffering every day thinking of you and what happened to you that dreadful night,” she said.
“I only wish I could turn the clock back, it never happened and you would be alive with us today.”