Sabina Nessa: what happened to school teacher murdered by killer Koci Selamaj in Cator Park and cause of death

A man has been jailed for life for murdering primary school teacher Sabina Nessa.

Koci Selamaj, 36, had admitted murdering the 28-year-old as she made her way to meet a friend.

In the aftermath of her death hundreds of people attended a vigil in an emotional tribute to her.

What happened to Sabina Nessa?

Ms Nessa, who taught a year one class at Rushey Green Primary School in Catford, had been walking to meet a friend at a pub near her home when she was fatally attacked in Cator Park. She

Her body was discovered by a member of the public the next day, having been hidden under a pile of leaves.

Officers investigating the killing of the 28-year-old said she left her home on Astell Road and walked through Cator Park on 17 September towards The Depot bar in Pegler Square, Kidbrooke Village, when she was attacked.

Selamaj had travelled to London from the south coast to carry out the premeditated attack on a random woman.

The garage worker targeted Ms Nessa as she walked through Cator Park in Kidbrooke, south-east London, to meet a friend at 8.34pm.

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

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.

More than 500 people gathered in an emotional vigil for Sabina Nessa in Pegler Square, Kidbrooke, south-east London.

Those attending the vigil – where mourners were asked to “say her name” in a show of solidarity – and a separate rally earlier in the evening at East London Mosque heard powerful testimony from Ms Nessa’s family.

In a victim impact statement Sabina’s parents said:”Sabina died in a way that no one should die and this will torment us for the rest of our lives.”

They went on to say: “Sabina was determined and she completed her teaching degree. She loved her job and her children in her class and would go the extra mile. This was just the start of her teaching career and this too as snatched away. She had a purpose in life and it was to teach. “

Who is Koci Selamaj?

Garage worker Selamaj is an Albanian national. He is from Eastbourne, East Sussex, and was arrested in the seaside town and charged with her murder.

He travelled to London from his home in Eastbourne on the south coast to carry out the “pre-meditated and predatory” attack.

He had no previous convictions and was not known to his victim.

Selamaj pleaded guilty to murder in February. He refused to attend his sentencing hearing on Thursday and Friday (7 and 8 April).

He has never given an explanation for his actions.

How long will Selamaj spend in jail?

At an Old Bailey hearing on Friday 8 April Selamaj was jailed for life with a minimum of 36 years.

The court had heard the attack was sexually motivated, though there was no positive evidence of a sexual assault.

Selamaj had previously been violent towards his former partner, putting his hands around her throat in a strangling motion.

He had delivered 34 blows to Ms Nessa with the metal traffic triangle before strangling her, the court heard.

The weapon was disposed in a river on his way back to the south coast.

He had also bought a rolling pin which was not used in the attack.

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