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Banker guilty of murdering sex worker with a pestle | Banker guilty of murdering sex worker with a pestle |
(35 minutes later) | |
A City banker has been found guilty of murdering a 29-year-old sex worker by bludgeoning her to death with a pestle. | A City banker has been found guilty of murdering a 29-year-old sex worker by bludgeoning her to death with a pestle. |
Zahid Naseem, 48, admitted killing Christina Abbotts at a flat in Crawley, West Sussex, in May, but denied murder. | Zahid Naseem, 48, admitted killing Christina Abbotts at a flat in Crawley, West Sussex, in May, but denied murder. |
Naseem stayed in the flat for 12 hours after Ms Abbotts died and pretended to be unconscious when police broke down the door, the court heard. | Naseem stayed in the flat for 12 hours after Ms Abbotts died and pretended to be unconscious when police broke down the door, the court heard. |
Jurors at Lewes Crown Court heard Ms Abbotts suffered more than 13 wounds to her head and 20 other injuries. | |
Naseem, of Amersham, Buckinghamshire, claimed he was acting in self-defence after Ms Abbotts tried to strangle him during a sex game. | |
He is due to be sentenced on Friday. | |
Police were called to the flat when no-one had heard from Ms Abbotts after midday on 25 May and she failed to turn up to her own birthday party. | Police were called to the flat when no-one had heard from Ms Abbotts after midday on 25 May and she failed to turn up to her own birthday party. |
She is thought to have been dead for about 12 hours before she was found, the court heard. | |
Officers found Naseem lying motionless on the sofa with his eyes flickering, but a paramedic was "sceptical" he was unconscious. | Officers found Naseem lying motionless on the sofa with his eyes flickering, but a paramedic was "sceptical" he was unconscious. |
He only "woke up" fully when he was arrested in hospital, claiming to have no idea what happened. | |
'Red mist' | |
When he gave evidence in court, he admitted striking Ms Abbotts but claimed it was in self-defence as he feared she was strangling him to death in a sex game gone wrong. | |
He also said a "red mist" may have come over him. | |
Ms Abbotts, who was born in the West Midlands and lived in London, was described as a "socialite" who led a party lifestyle in London and told relatives she worked in IT. | |
But she lived a secret life as a high-class escort, who advertised her services online under the pseudonym Tilly Pexton. | |
Naseem paid her up to £3,500 a time when they met. | |
In a statement read out after the trial, Ms Abbotts' family said: "This has had a tremendous impact on our personal and professional lives as we have not been able to meet commitments due to the level of stress and shock we have been experiencing. | |
"She was beautiful inside and out, and also very kind to others, putting everyone else's needs first." |
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