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Builder guilty of nurse's murder | Builder guilty of nurse's murder |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A builder has been convicted of the murder of a nurse he strangled with her own blouse during a burglary. | A builder has been convicted of the murder of a nurse he strangled with her own blouse during a burglary. |
Mei Choo Ngan, 54, who worked at Moorfields Eye Hospital, was found dead at her home in Palmers Green, north London, in July 2007. | Mei Choo Ngan, 54, who worked at Moorfields Eye Hospital, was found dead at her home in Palmers Green, north London, in July 2007. |
She had hired Tian Chen, 33, to carry out work on her home but instead he broke into the property and throttled her, the Old Bailey heard. | She had hired Tian Chen, 33, to carry out work on her home but instead he broke into the property and throttled her, the Old Bailey heard. |
Chen, of Lordship Lane, Edmonton, north London, will be sentenced on Tuesday. | Chen, of Lordship Lane, Edmonton, north London, will be sentenced on Tuesday. |
'Senseless killing' | 'Senseless killing' |
Jurors heard how Chen, who denied murder, hit his victim on the head then dragged her, bleeding, from one bedroom to another. | Jurors heard how Chen, who denied murder, hit his victim on the head then dragged her, bleeding, from one bedroom to another. |
He also tried to set fire to her body. | He also tried to set fire to her body. |
Chen cut off the bloodstained bottom legs and pockets of his trousers and left them at the scene in a bizarre attempt to avoid detection, the court heard. | Chen cut off the bloodstained bottom legs and pockets of his trousers and left them at the scene in a bizarre attempt to avoid detection, the court heard. |
Miss Ngan's murder has left a "vacuum", said relatives | |
But traces of his DNA were found on the clothing fragments, as well as on a cigarette butt left in the bedroom. | But traces of his DNA were found on the clothing fragments, as well as on a cigarette butt left in the bedroom. |
It was not the first time he had tried to steal from a house where he had been doing building work, jurors were told. He pleaded guilty to an attempted burglary in Reading in 2002. | It was not the first time he had tried to steal from a house where he had been doing building work, jurors were told. He pleaded guilty to an attempted burglary in Reading in 2002. |
Chen, who like his victim was originally from Malaysia, was in the UK illegally. | Chen, who like his victim was originally from Malaysia, was in the UK illegally. |
In a statement read to the court, Ho Kin Wing described his cousin as a dedicated nurse whose death had left a "vacuum". | In a statement read to the court, Ho Kin Wing described his cousin as a dedicated nurse whose death had left a "vacuum". |
He added: "The senseless killing of Mei has left me and my family in shock. | He added: "The senseless killing of Mei has left me and my family in shock. |
"Mei's life was so heartlessly cut short and taken from us during the time we all talked about her retirement. | "Mei's life was so heartlessly cut short and taken from us during the time we all talked about her retirement. |
"Society has unceremoniously lost an upright and moral member." | "Society has unceremoniously lost an upright and moral member." |
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