Man jailed for killing NHS nurse as she plunged to death after viscous assault

02 September 2023 , 12:38

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Leonidas Georgalla broke Kathleen John's nose before she fell from her flat window

A man has been jailed for killing his NHS nurse girlfriend after she plunged from a third-floor window in a desperate bid to escape his violent attack.

Leonidas Georgalla, 51, brutally assaulted his partner Kathleen John, 39, and repeatedly punched her in the face at her flat in Wembley, London, on July 29 last year.

Georgalla callously ripped out a clump of her hair and left her with a broken nose. She tragically fell to her death as she tried to climb out the window to get away.

Emergency services rushed to the scene at around 2.20am but despite their best efforts, she sadly died at the scene on London Road. Officers stormed into the property and found traces of blood alongside broken items which showed signs of a disturbance before Kathleen had died. A post-mortem later confirmed that she had been assaulted before she had passed away.

Kathleen John leaves behind her 19-year-old son Rio

The mum fell as she tried to escape

Officers arrested Georgalla at the scene. It was reported that he had breached a restraining order to be with Kathleen that night following previous instances of domestic violence, reports My London. Throughout his police interview, Georgalla refused to answer any of the questions officers put to him. He was charged with Kathleen’s murder on July 30 last year, but a plea of manslaughter was subsequently accepted. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Friday.

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Detective Inspector John Marriott of the Met's Specialist Crime Command, who led the investigation, said: "Leonidas Georgalla is a danger to women with a history of domestic violence offences. At the time of Kathleen's death, there was a restraining order against him for previous abuse she had suffered and officers established previous incidents where he had been convicted of domestic violence offences in other countries.

"We will never know the exact circumstances of how Kathleen came to fall from the window of her flat but the post-mortem examination shows she had sustained assault injuries in the moments prior to this. While Leonidas has admitted responsibility for her death, this will be of little solace to Kathleen's family and friends." Georgalla began abusing Kathleen after they met at a recovery group for cocaine addicts in 2017. She had placed a restraining order against him just weeks before her death after he was convicted of harassment due to threatening her by text, reports Daily Mail.

Kathleen's son Rio, 19, paid tribute to his mum as he bravely read his victim impact statement at the Old Bailey, He said: "Not a day goes by when I don't think about my mother and how much she suffered that dreadful night and how her life would have flashed before her eyes. I will always remember how much fun we had when we were together, we would always laugh so much. People say they can see the sadness in my eyes. I just hope justice is done for her today."

Her mother Christine John, who is her her 70s, commented: "On July 29, 2022, my daughter was tragically taken from me and my family in extremely violent circumstances. The impact of that night is forever etched in my heart and soul and its effect can never, ever be fully articulated. I am no longer a mother - my only daughter was cruelly taken from me. As the years advance for me I will be alone without the loving support of Kathleen - a beautiful girl I loved and cherished since I first laid eyes on her 40 years ago."

Monica Charsley