Nadia Kalinowska: Minimum 22-year term for stepdad who murdered girl

Nadia suffered a skull fracture and lacerated liver which caused her death

The stepfather of Nadia Kalinowska must serve at least 22 years in prison for her "brutal and merciless" murder.

The five-year-old girl died after being found at her family home with more than 70 injuries including a fractured skull.

Abdul Wahab, 35, pleaded guilty in court in January and was given an automatic life sentence.

Nadia's mother Aleksandra Wahab, who pleaded guilty to allowing the death of a child, was sentenced to 11 years.

The 29-year-old had also pleaded guilty to allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm.

She will serve half her sentence in prison and half on licence.

Nadia's family in Poland said their lives had been shattered by her death.

Abdul Wahab tortured and killed Nadia Kalinowska

'Merciless'

At Belfast Crown Court, Mr Justice O'Hara said what Abudl Wahab had done to Nadia was "brutal, merciless and outrageous" .

He added the 22-year minimum tariff reflected the "sustained nature of brutality" he had inflicted on her.

Aleksandra Wahab allowed her daughter to be murdered

In January, a court had been told the schoolgirl was tortured and killed in her home in Fernagh Drive in Newtownabbey and details of the injuries inflicted on Nadia were given.

As well as suffering a skull fracture and lacerated liver which caused her death, Nadia had sustained fractures and re-fractures to her ribs, a fractured collarbone, a fractured pelvis and an injury to her bowel.

The injuries were inflicted over many months.

At the time she died she also had surface injuries including bruising and abrasions and her teeth were decayed and rotten.

Abdul Wahab had claimed she was clumsy and had fallen down the stairs on the night she died.

Covered up

The court was told the young son of Aleksandra and Abdul Wahab was taken to medical appointments regularly for "relatively minor matters" in stark contrast to how Nadia was treated.

Nadia often attended school in what was described as "traditional Muslim dress" which covered up her injuries.

Speaking outside court, Det Insp Gina Quinn said the "young and innocent" Nadia was subjected to a "campaign of violence" by her stepfather Abdul Wahab, while her mother ignored the "very obvious attacks".

"This was the ultimate betrayal of trust by the two people who should have protected loved and cared for Nadia," she said.

Det Insp Quinn also read a statement from Nadia's family in Poland who "loved and treasured" her.

"Nadia was just a child. A child who had her young and innocent life cruelly taken away," the statement says.

"We are still trying to come to terms with what happened to Nadia, and I am not sure that we ever will.

"To be honest our worlds have been shattered.

"Nadia will always remain in the heart of her loving grandmother and her closest family in Poland."

Analysis, Chris Page, BBC News Ireland Correspondent

Abdul and Aleksandra Wahab sat in the glass-fronted dock at Belfast Crown Court, with guards on either side.

Another member of the security staff sat in between them.

The pair looked down at the floor for most of the sentencing hearing.

Towards the end of the 45-minute-long session, Abdul Wahab put his head in his hands and appeared to weep.

The court heard how the defendant had described Nadia as his "fairy princess" - but the judge said that was a "pathetic" attempt by Mr Wahab to "disavow" his plea of guilty.

As well as admitting murder, Abdul Wahab pleaded guilty to two charges of grievous bodily harm with intent 24 hours before the child's death and on other occasions between July and December 2019.

Speaking after the sentencing, Public Prosecution Service assistant director Ciaran McQuillan said it was a deeply distressing case.

"Every murder is abhorrent, but this was an especially sickening and brutal murder of a young child," he added.