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Banker who murdered sex worker with pestle jailed Banker who murdered woman with pestle jailed
(35 minutes later)
A City banker who bludgeoned a sex worker to death with a pestle has been jailed. A City banker who bludgeoned a woman to death with a pestle has been jailed.
Zahid Naseem, 48, admitted killing Christina Abbotts at a flat in Crawley, West Sussex, in May, but denied murder. Zahid Naseem, 48, killed Christina Abbotts at a flat in Crawley, West Sussex, in May, after paying for her services as a high-class escort.
Naseem stayed in the flat for 12 hours after killing 29-year-old Ms Abbotts and pretended to be unconscious when police arrived. Judge Christine Laing said Ms Abbotts would have experienced "unimaginable terror" during the attack, which was of "extraordinary ferocity".
He was convicted of murder after a trial at Lewes Crown Court and jailed for life with a minimum of 19 years. Naseem was convicted of murder after a trial at Lewes Crown Court and jailed for life with a minimum of 19 years.
Jurors heard Ms Abbotts had suffered more than 13 wounds to her head and 20 other injuries.Jurors heard Ms Abbotts had suffered more than 13 wounds to her head and 20 other injuries.
Naseem, of Amersham, Buckinghamshire, had claimed he was acting in self-defence after Ms Abbotts tried to strangle him during a sex game. Naseem, of Amersham, Buckinghamshire, stayed in the flat for 12 hours after killing Ms Abbotts, 29, and pretended to be unconscious when police arrived, the court heard.
He had claimed he was acting in self-defence after Ms Abbotts tried to strangle him during a sex game, but the judge rejected that suggestion.
Ms Abbotts was described by her family as "petite, happy and well-educated".
In a victim impact statement, her family said they had been "hoping one day to walk her down the aisle, she would have been such a beautiful bride, and instead we had to take her in a coffin".
Judge Laing told Naseem: "When I consider the extent of all the injuries, you inflicted considerable pain.
"The terror of her final few moments of life is unimaginable."
The judge said Ms Abbotts, as an escort, "had chosen to earn her money in a business that is as old as time".
"And one that has always carried with it huge risks of danger, as this case sadly demonstrated," she added.
Judge Laing said Naseem had become addicted to drugs and alcohol and became "obsessed" with escorts.