Teacher’s killer locked up for 36 years

A MAN has been jailed for at least 36 years for the murder of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa.

Koci Selamaj, 36, travelled to London from his home in Eastbourne, East Sussex, to carry out the attack on a woman on September 17 last year. He had earlier contacted his ex-partner in a failed bid to persuade her to have sex with him.

The garage worker targeted 28-year-old Ms Nessa as she walked through Cator Park, in Kidbrooke, to meet a friend. He hit her 34 times with a metal traffic triangle, carried her unconscious body up a grassy bank, removed her underclothes and strangled her.

Selamaj pleaded guilty to murder in February.

Yesterday, he 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.

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.

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.

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.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “Sabina Nessa cruelly lost her life following the harrowing and callous actions of a man who is rightly now behind bars.”