Western Morning News (Saturday)
Teacher’s evil killer jailed for 36 years
AN “evil” sexual predator has been jailed for at least 36 years for the murder of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa.
Koci Selamaj, 36, travelled to London from the south coast to carry out the premeditated attack on a random woman on September 17 last year.
The garage worker targeted 28-year-old Ms Nessa as she walked through Cator Park in Kidbrooke, south-east London, to meet a friend at 8.34pm.
CCTV footage captured the moment Selamaj ran up behind her and hit her over the head 34 times with a 2ft-long metal traffic triangle. He carried her unconscious body up a grassy bank and out of view. He then pulled up her clothes, removed her tights and underwear, and strangled her before covering her body in grass.
Ms Nessa, who taught a year one class at Rushey Green Primary School in Catford, was found nearly 24 hours later near a community centre in the park.
Days later, Selamaj, from Eastbourne, East Sussex, was arrested in the seaside town and pleaded guilty to murder in February.
On Friday, Selamaj refused to come to the Old Bailey and was jailed for life in his absence.
Mr Justice Sweeney set a minimum term of 36 years for the “savage” sexually motivated attack. He said Ms Nessa was the “wholly blameless victim of an absolutely appalling murder which was entirely the fault of the defendant.”
Her death added to “the sense of insecurity” particularly felt by woman walking through the city at night. “She had every right, as her family said, to be walking through the park all glammed up and out to enjoy herself after a long week at work. The defendant robbed her and them of her life,” he said.
The judge noted the defendant’s guilty plea and lack of previous convictions. But he added: “It is a striking feature of the defendant’s case that, clearly deliberately, it is not suggested by him that he had any remorse for what he did to Sabina Nessa.”
The judge said it was “cowardly” of the Albanian national to refuse to attend his sentencing but said he had no power to force him.
Ms Nessa’s sister, Jebina Yasmin Islam, described the murderer as “vile”. She said: “The thought that he was waiting for some woman, to attack her and do what he wanted to do – I was just thinking what a horrible animal, (what a) vile animal he is.”
After the sentencing, Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Neil John described Selamaj as an “evil coward”.
He said: “We are pleased Selamaj will spend the majority of his life in prison.”
Addressing her absent killer on Thursday, Ms Nessa’s parents Abdur Rouf and Azibun Nessa said in a statement: “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 us 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.”
Prosecutor Alison Morgan QC said Selamaj had been violent towards his ex-partner in the past, including throttling her a number of times.