Sister of teacher murdered in park 'delighted' killers have to face court

30 August 2023 , 15:42

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Sabina, 28, was killed walking through a park in South East London while on the way to meet her friend in September 2021 (Image: PA)

Sabina Nessa's sister says she's "delighted" by the news that criminals will be forced to attend their sentencing hearings.

It was announced today that officers will be given legal powers to use "reasonable force" to make criminals appear in the dock or via video link. If an offender continues to resist attending their sentencing despite a judge’s order, they will face an extra two years behind bars.

This new penalty will apply in cases where the maximum sentence is life imprisonment, including serious sexual or violent crimes like murder, rape, and grievous bodily harm with intent. It comes after baby-killing nurse Lucy Letby refused to attend court as she was jailed for life.

Jebina Islam, the sister of murdered primary school teacher Sabina, said she was “delighted” with the law change and that it was “about time”. Evil Koci Selamaj, 36, bludgeoned popular Sabina, 28, to death as she walked through Cator Park in Kidbrooke, southeast London, in September 2021.

Jebina Islam has welcomed the reform (ITV)

They were not known to each other and Selamaj, originally from Albania, scouted areas for women before deciding upon Sabina, the court heard. Her death led to an outpouring of grief and reignited fury over violence against women in the UK. Cowardly Selamaj did not appear at his sentencing hearing, where he was given life behind bars with a minimum of 36 years.

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Jebina told The Mirror: “I’m delighted with this change that has come about and it’s about time. Victims and their families should be at the forefront and their feelings and opinions taken into consideration.

“This was not the case in my sister’s case and others. We felt frustrated how the law was typically on the defendant’s side. We have seen from my sister’s case that there has been a pattern that these animals are not coming to court (for sentencing) and now we have put a stop to this.

“I hope now that this will bring some sort of comfort to victims and their families that these animals will be made to come to court whether they like it or not.”

Jebina, 31, told us in April she backed the Mirror’s call for a change in the law to force killers to face their victims’ families. She told of how Selamaj had even refused to listen to her impact statement via videolink from his cell.

Matthew Young