Sabina Nessa's family tells killer, 'You're not human, you're an animal'

Kate Buck
·Breaking News Editor, Yahoo News UK
·4 min read
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 26: Floral tributes and messages are left to Sabina Nessa at Cator Park on September 26, 2021 in the Kidbrooke area of London, England. Earlier today, a man was arrested in East Sussex on suspicion of murder of Ms Nessa, a 28-year-old teacher who was attacked while walking to meet a friend in Kidbrooke, on September 17th. Her body was found the next day. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
Sabina Nessa was murdered at Cator Park in the Kidbrooke area of London last September. (Getty Images)

The family of murdered primary school teacher Sabina Nessa have told her killer: "You're not human, you're an animal", as the killer refused to attend court for sentencing.

Koci Selamaj, 36, from Eastbourne, East Sussex, is facing life behind bars after admitting killing 28-year-old Ms Nessa as she was on her way to meet a friend on 17 September last year.

He beat her over the head 34 times with a 2ft-long metal traffic triangle, before carrying her away unconscious.

Ms Nessa's parents, Abdur Rouf and Aziban Nessa, said their daughter was a "girly girl" who loved "makeup, handbags and shoes".

In a victim impact statement read out in the Old Bailey, they said Ms Nessa was "kind, generous, funny and determined".

File photo dated 05/10/21 of people at a vigil for Sabina Nessa at Eastbourne Pier in East Sussex.
People at a vigil for Sabina Nessa at Eastbourne Pier in East Sussex. (PA)

Addressing Selamaj, they added : "As a parent, you would never have thought your child would die before you.

"You had no right to take her away from us in such a way."

The pair added their "world shattered into tiny pieces and these pieces cannot be put back together", before telling Selamaj: "You are not a human being, you are an animal.

"Did you really think you wouldn't get caught?

"...You have no right to take our daughter's life away and no right to touch her."

Selamaj drove to London from his home in Eastbourne on the south coast to carry out a premeditated attack on a woman with “extreme violence”.

The garage worker lurked around Cator Park in Kidbrooke, south-east London, before targeting Ms Nessa as she passed through.

CCTV footage captured the moment Selamaj attacked Ms Nessa.

He then pulled up her clothes, removed her tights and underwear and strangled her before covering her body in grass.

Koci Selamaj refused to attend court for sentencing. (Met Police)
Koci Selamaj refused to attend court for sentencing. (Met Police)

The body of 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.

The Old Bailey was told she was found by a dog walker who initially mistook her body as a "potato sack".

Selamaj was arrested in the seaside town of Eastbourne and charged over her death days later.

In February, the Albanian national pleaded guilty to murder.

He was scheduled to return to the Old Bailey on Thursday afternoon to be sentenced by Mr Justice Sweeney.

At an earlier hearing, prosecutor Alison Morgan QC said Selamaj had been violent towards his ex-partner in the past, including throttling her a number of times.

Three days before the attack on Ms Nessa, the defendant booked a room at the five-star Grand Hotel in Eastbourne, the town where he already had accommodation.

Sabrina Nessa's sister Jebina Yasmin Islam visibly emotional whilst speaking outside the Old Bailey in London, following Koci Selamaj pleading guilty to the murder of school teacher Sabina Nessa. Picture date: Friday February 25, 2022.
Sabrina Nessa's sister Jebina Yasmin Islam visibly emotional whilst speaking outside the Old Bailey in London, after a court hearing in February. (PA)

On 17 September, he booked into the hotel and, two hours before the murder, contacted his former partner in a failed bid to engage her in sexual activity.

The defendant’s Nissan Micra was tracked by ANPR cameras and cell site evidence travelling to London.

He used his bank card at Sainsbury’s to buy a rolling pin, although it was never deployed as a weapon.

He entered Cator Park in Kidbrooke shortly after 8pm and lay in wait for half-an-hour before Ms Nessa arrived en route to The Depot bar where she was due to meet a friend.

Ms Morgan said: “The defendant is seen in effect loitering in locations around the park before spotting the deceased, checking to see if anyone else was nearby before turning and running after her.

Handout comp of grabs from CCTV issued by the Metropolitan Police of Koci Selamaj walking in Pegler Square SE3 on the evening Sabina Nessa was attacked.
CCTV of Koci Selamaj walking on the evening Sabina Nessa was attacked. (PA)
File photo dated 23/09/21 of forensic officers in Cator Park, Kidbrooke, south London, near to the scene where the body of Sabina Nessa was found.
Forensic officers in Cator Park, Kidbrooke, south London, near to the scene where the body of Sabina Nessa was found. (PA)

“He is then seen to move towards the deceased and striking her repeatedly using a weapon which was approximately 2ft in length.

“The CCTV footage shows the defendant then carrying the deceased, who appeared to be unconscious by that point, up a bank and effectively out of sight.”

Selamaj’s actions afterwards were out of camera shot, but Ms Nessa was not seen alive again.

The prosecutor said: “The male did appear after 10 minutes.

“He is seen to pick up pieces of the weapon that had broken on the ground and then moved back to the area the deceased was located for another 10 minutes.”

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

Selamaj was also seen using wet wipes to clean a nearby bench.

En route back to the south coast, Selamaj stopped in the area of Tunbridge Wells in Kent, where he disposed of the emergency triangle in the River Teise.

Sentencing was adjourned until 10am on Thursday.