Sabina Nessa's killer stabbed prison guard

A sexual predator who was jailed for at least 36 years for the murder of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa has been sentenced to an additional four and half years for stabbing a prison guard.

Koci Selamaj received a life sentence in April 2022 for murdering Ms Nessa, 28, as she walked through Cator Park in Kidbrooke, south-east London.

The 37-year-old had previously admitted wounding the guard with intent to cause serious harm at Frankland Prison, a maximum-security jail near Durham, and assaulting another, in May 2023.

Judge Penny Moreland sentenced Selamaj to additional jail time and told him he would be at least 73 years old before he was eligible to apply for parole.

Judge Moreland said he should be treated at Broadmoor secure hospital for his mental illness until he was well enough to return to the prison system.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Selamaj, an Albanian national, was in his cell when a prison officer asked if he would be leaving for lunch.

He let out a scream and began to smash up his toilet before arming himself with a shard of porcelain with which he attacked the guard.

The officer, who was stabbed in the knee and forearm, was helped by colleagues, one of whom was punched two or three times in the face by Selamaj.

In a victim statement, the stabbed officer said: "His strength was unbelievable, I feel very lucky as it could have been worse.

"Selamaj is in prison for murder so I know what he is capable of."

After he admitted the murder of Ms Nessa, Selamaj caused outrage when he refused to come to court for his sentencing at the Old Bailey.

That court had heard how he travelled to London from the south coast to carry out the premeditated attack on a random woman on 17 September 2021.

He killed Ms Nessa as she walked through the park to meet a friend.

CCTV footage captured the moment Selamaj ran up behind her and hit her over the head 34 times with a 2ft-long (60cm) metal traffic triangle.

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