By James Simons-
A man has accepted responsibility for the death of the schoolteacher Sabina Nessa in London in September, but has pleaded not guilty to her murder during a pre-trial hearing at the Old Bailey.
Selamaj, 36 has admitted killing the teacher, but pleaded not guilty to murder during a pre-trial hearing at the Old Bailey today, Thursday.
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Nessa, 28, was found dead in Cator park, Kidbrooke, south-east London, on 18 September, a day after leaving her home to meet a friend in a nearby bar.
The prosecution told an earlier hearing that Nessa was struck with a 60cm weapon by someone believed to be a stranger.
The body of Nessa, who taught a year 1 class at Rushey Green primary school in Catford, was found covered with leaves near a community centre in the park.
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Members of Nessa’s family attended and sat in court a few metres from the defendant, who was helped by an Albanian interpreter. Selamaj, wearing a face mask and grey T-shirt, spoke to confirm his identity and to enter his plea to the charge of murder.
He was arrested in Eastbourne by officers from the Metropolitan police investigating Nessa’s death, and later charged with her murder.
A further pre-trial hearing was set for 25 February 2022, and reports are awaited. A trial date was set for June 2022 and is scheduled to last two weeks.
Senior judge, Mr Justice Wall, set a further hearing on February 25 next year, and a trial date for June 7 next year and said it could last up to five weeks. The defendant was remanded into custody.
In October this year, around 200 people gathered in Eastbourne, East Sussex, to pay tribute to the school teacher and protest the ‘crisis of violence against women’.
The peaceful demonstration was marked by cheers and applause as those addressing the crowd spoke out against victim blaming.
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