Koci Selamaj, 36, was described as “cowardly” by the grieving family after refusing to attend the first day of his Old Bailey hearing. He has pleaded guilty to murder, but did not answer questions during police interviews or defend his actions. Judge Sweeney said life imprisonment was “inevitable” for the brutal murder, in which Selamaj attacked Ms Nessa from behind as she passed through a park in Kidbrooke, south-east London. Ms Nessa’s relatives left the courtroom as CCTV footage of the prolonged attack on September 17 last year was shown in court, where Selamaj used a metal warning triangle from his car as a weapon. The killer left the body of his victim in Cator Park, partly covered with grass. Ms. Nessa was found the next day by a dog walker. In a statement read to the court, Ms. Nessa’s parents, Abdur Rouf and Azibun Nessa, said their world “shattered into tiny pieces” as a police officer arrived at the door. Addressing Selamai, they condemned his refusal to answer questions or testify, adding: “You are not human, you are an animal; how could you do such a thing?” “You had no right to take our daughter’s life and no right to touch her,” the statement added. “Not knowing why you committed this murder will remain in our minds.” The parents said they found it difficult to sleep and were tormented by the thoughts of their daughter’s violent last moments, when she must have been “scared” alone. Ms. Nessa’s sisters, Jabina Islam and Sadia Ness, read their joint statement in court, stopping at points as they burst into tears and comforted each other. “We were told that Sabina was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but she was not,” Ms Islam said. “He had every right to follow this path.” Koci Selamaj was walking in Pegler SE3 square at night, Sabina Nessa was attacked (PA Wire) The court heard that Ms. Nessa, 28, was killed shortly after 8:30 p.m. as she was walking a short distance from her home to meet a friend at a local bar. “You are a terrible man and you do not deserve to be called by your name,” Ms Islam told her killer. “From an early age, our parents tell us to be careful when we go out, to always be with someone, to send messages when we are at home. “We all thought they were paranoid and overly protective. It was not, the worst came true. “How can we convince our parents that we are safe in this world?” Mrs. Nessa’s sisters described the pain of telling their children that “their aunt is gone” and how she would miss all the milestones in their lives. Lisa Williams, principal of Rushey Green Elementary School, said the children and staff were “upset and distressed” by the killing. “Sabina had a lifelong career ahead of her, which was removed through this absurd murder,” he added. “The school has lost an incredibly talented teacher and the teaching profession has lost an inspirational person who was destined to have a lasting impact on so many young people’s lives.” The court heard that Selamai drove from his hometown, Eastbourne, to Kidbrook on the night of the murder, after an unsuccessful “trap” by Brighton for possible sexual intercourse. Flower tributes at Cator Park in Kidbrooke, south London (PA file) Prosecutor Alison Morgan QC said that “the circumstances indicate that he must have planned to carry out an attack that night”. He told the court that Selamai went to a local Sainsbury’s and bought a rolling pin, before realizing that the metal warning triangle from his car boot was a “better weapon” and taking it to the park. “The crime was planned for a few days,” Ms Morgan said. “On the day of the attack, the accused showed his sexual motivation with his unsuccessful attempts to persuade his ex-partner to engage in sexual activity with him. “Having failed, the accused then traveled to an area where he knew he would not be known and where he assumed he would not be located to commit the attack. He looked for a vulnerable, lonely female at night, before quickly returning to Eastbourne, discarding the lethal weapon on the way back. The court heard that there was no “definitive pathological evidence” of sexual assault, but that it could not be ruled out. Selamaj, who was born in Albania and moved to the United Kingdom in 2017, was not previously known to police and had no reservations or convictions. After the murder, his wife told police she had been the victim of domestic violence, including strangulation, and had left their home fearing for her life. Defense attorney Lewis Power QC said Selamaj had refused to attend the hearing in person or via video link. He told the court that he had saved Ms Nessa’s family from the “terrible ordeal of a trial” by admitting his guilt for murder and that a life sentence was not justified in the case. Asked by the judge if he had given a reason for his actions, Mr. Power said that “there was simply no answer”. “I am not in a position to make a defense or a partial defense,” he added. “He just admits he did it. I can not help the court.” Justice Sweeney adjourned the sentence to Friday morning.
