Who Is Sabina Nessa? School Teacher Beaten To Death In East London

Sabina Nessa, 28, was found dead 200 yards from her home in Kidbrooke, South East London, after being strangled and hit 34 times.

A pathologist later said there was evidence of both blunt force trauma to her head and asphyxiation, either of which could have caused her death.

A garage worker, Koci Selamaj, 36, has been arrested and faces life in prison after he ambushed the teacher in a “premediated and predatory” murderous attack – beating her to death as she walked to meet a friend.

Selamaj, is alleged to have used a 2ft emergency metal triangle to batter her to death.

The twisted killer today refused to leave his cell to face her family and faces life in prison after pleading guilty to the murder on September 17 last year.

He will be sentenced tomorrow with Justice Sweeney saying the judgment “has got to be right”.

Meanwhile, Sabina’s sister Jabina told the court she was “lost for words” and her parents are now “petrified” every time she or her sister leave the house.

Albanian Selamaj travelled from his home in Eastbourne, East Sussex, to Cator Park where he skulked in bushes for 20 minutes, waiting for a lone woman before pouncing on Sabina.

Chilling CCTV footage played in court shows the monster crossing paths with Sabina, before checking that he wasn’t being watched.

He then sprints after terrified Sabina, who was a complete stranger to him and was “oblivious” he was behind her.

Sabina had previously expressed concerns about going through the scrubland at night to friends, and “likely only headed into the area because she was running late”.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan QC told the court that Selamaj had initially been driving around Brighton “looking for someone to have a sexual encounter with” before abandoning the idea to head to London.

Selamaj, who has been moved to Broadmoor prison, battered Sabina 34 times with the 2ft emergency metal triangle with such brute force that it broke into several pieces.

Sabina was left unconcious over a bench, and Selamaj was then seen carrying her away into the darkness, before strangling her in the undergrowth in what police believe was a sexually motivated attack.

Around ten minutes later, Selamaj reappears alone and picks up pieces of the shattered weapon lying on the ground before wiping a nearby bench down with wet wipes.

The court heard he removed Sabina’s underwear and tights and pulled up her clothes so her upper body was exposed.

There was no evidence of any sexual assault, but police said that it could not be ruled out completely.

Mr Justice Nigel Sweeney said it appeared that Selamaj had “positively enjoyed what he did in the park”.

He arrived back at the Grand Hotel just after midnight, after dumping the emergency triangle in the River Teise, and checked out the following morning.

Just two hours before the killing Selamaj contacted his wife, who he had split from, and tried to pressure her into having sex with him.

Tragic Sabina’s body was found by a dog walker covered in leaves the next day just 200 yards from her flat.

The Old Bailey heard that he booked himself into the five-star hotel, paying £350 for the night, to plan out the murder on any woman who crossed his path.

He was seen on camera walking through the lobby wearing the same clothes as the suspect later caught on CCTV in Kidbrooke.

ANPR cameras tracked his Nissan Micra and mobile phone evidence helped identify his movements to London.

Forensic evidence also discovered a small piece of Sabina’s blood on Selamaj’s black Sketchers trainers.

The court heard that he had a recent history of violent behavior towards his ex-wife, who says his behavior changed in May 2021.

Tributes poured in for the “amazing” primary school teacher after her shocking death, with hundreds of mourners gathering for a candlelight vigil.

The Duchess of Cambridge paid tribute to the young woman, saying that her thoughts were with Sabina’s friends and family.