Sabina Nessa: Murderer admits attacking two prison officers

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Sabina NessaImage source, Met Police
Image caption,

Sabina Nessa was on her way to meet a friend when she was killed

The man found guilty of murdering primary school teacher Sabina Nessa has admitted attacking two prison officers.

Garage worker Koci Selamaj, 36, was jailed for life in April 2022.

Selamaj attacked Ms Nessa, 28, as she walked through Cator Park in Kidbrooke, south-east London.

On Thursday, he appeared at Newcastle Crown Court where he admitted wounding one person with intent and assaulting another, causing actual bodily harm, court officials confirmed.

Both offences took place on 8 May, according to court papers.

It is understood the assault happened as Selamaj was being held at Frankland Prison, County Durham.

The court said that he will be sentenced at the same court on 14 June.

Selamaj refused to come to court when he was sentenced at the Old Bailey for Ms Nessa's murder, causing widespread outrage.

That court heard how he travelled to London from the south coast to carry out the premeditated attack on a random woman on 17 September 2021.

He targeted Ms Nessa as she walked through the park to meet a friend.

CCTV footage captured the moment Selamaj ran up behind her and hit her over the head 34 times with a 2ft-long (60cm) metal traffic triangle.

Image source, Julia Quenzler/BBC
Image caption,

A court sketch of Selamaj from his first trial

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.

Mr Justice Sweeney said at the sentencing hearing that it was a "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 women walking through the city at night, he added.

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