Koci Selamaj, the man serving a life sentence for the murder of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa, has admitted to attacking two prison officers while incarcerated.
Selamaj, a 36-year-old garage worker, is currently serving a life sentence for the brutal murder of 28-year-old Ms Nessa as she walked through Cator Park in Kidbrooke in September 2021.
Appearing at Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday (April 11), Selamaj pleaded guilty to wounding one person with intent and assaulting another, causing actual bodily harm, according to court officials.
The charges stem from an incident at Frankland Prison in County Durham on May 8 last year, where Selamaj was being held.
Selamaj is scheduled to be sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on June 14.
This recent admission of guilt follows Selamaj’s previous refusal to appear in court during his sentencing at the Old Bailey for Ms Nessa’s murder, causing widespread outrage.
Selamaj’s heinous crime shook the nation when he travelled from the south coast to carry out the premeditated attack on Ms Nessa, a random woman, as she walked through the park to meet a friend.
CCTV footage captured the horrifying moment Selamaj assaulted Ms Nessa, striking her over the head 34 times with a 2ft-long metal traffic triangle. He then carried her unconscious body out of view, where he proceeded to sexually assault and strangle her before covering her body with grass.
Ms Nessa, a dedicated teacher at Rushey Green Primary School in Catford, was discovered nearly 24 hours later near a community centre in the park.
Selamaj’s arrest in the seaside town of Eastbourne, East Sussex, days later led to his eventual guilty plea to the murder charge.
During his sentencing, Mr Justice Sweeney described the attack as “savage” and “sexually motivated,” emphasizing that Ms Nessa was a “wholly blameless victim” of an “absolutely appalling murder” for which Selamaj was entirely responsible.
Her tragic death further amplified concerns about the safety of women, particularly when walking alone at night, in urban environments.
