The parents of a woman have told of their anguish after her fiance nearly decapitated her because he did not beleive she was a virgin.
Arben Rexha, 32, almost decapitated 25-year-old Elidona Demiraj in a frenzied attack at their home in Islington, north London, on 31 January 2016.
Ms Demiraj, who lived at home with Rexha had only come to the UK from Albania three months before her death after they were married in Albania.
She was found by police with 27 lacerations in a crime scene described by Judge Richard Marks QC as one of ‘absolute devastation’.
In a statement read to the court, Mrs Demiraj’s parents said: ‘We saw her off as a bride and she returned to us dead. We are distraught by our daughter’s death at his hands.
Arben Rexha, 32 (left), almost decapitated 25-year-old Elidona Demiraj (right) in a frenzied attack at their home in Islington, north London , on 31 January 2016
‘Be in no doubt that our pain is the same as the day we received the news of her death.
‘He isolated her for three months and didn’t let her meet people.
‘She was a model girl, with exemplary manners and politeness. She was respected by everyone, at school, as a student and work life, everywhere.’
Job Centre worker Rexha had become obsessed about his wife’s her virginity and whether she had an abortion during a previous relationship, the Old Bailey heard.
He researched online ‘how to tell if someone was a virgin’ and began suffering from psychotic symptoms, telling her he could not cope.
The court heard Rexha had a history of possessive and abusive behaviour towards women, once hitting his ex, and accusing her of sleeping with fellow passengers on the bus and shoving his hand down her trousers ‘to check’.
Rexha complained that Ms Demiraj was not giving him enough respect, and began to think she was poisoning him.
He sobbed in court throughout the sentencing today, as barristers argued over his mental state at the time.
Richard Christie QC, prosecuting, said: ‘Of course he had a catastrophic collapse, but that is after the event and at the time he was functioning well.
Rexha’s defence, Anthony Berry QC said that he had suffered from a schizophrenic episode in the attack.
He was initially charged with murder, but then admitted to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Judge Marks told him: ‘It’s clear that she was a greatly loved daughter and her family are devastated by her death.
‘You killed your wife at the home you shared together in Islington. It was in my view a sustained attack on a small, slightly built young woman.
‘It was a killing of considerable brutality. You inflicted at least 27 incision injuries to her head, neck, sides and chest.
‘There can be no question but that you intended to kill her. The scene that greeted officers was one of absolute devastation.
‘I’m of the view that it’s a trait of your personality, not your illness, that you are prone to extreme possessiveness and jealousy.
Judge Marks gave Rexha an extended license period of five years upon his release.
Rexha wept as he was led down from the dock to the cells.
Describing the run up to her death, Prosecutor Richard Christie QC said: ‘She had been with him, they were married and were living together – an arranged marriage has been contemplated and that is why she came here.’
Rexha sobbed in the Old Bailey (pictured) throughout the sentencing today, as barristers argued over his mental state at the time
‘The events that occurred took place in their home address.
In the days leading up to her death he said the victim had been arguing with Rexha and chose to go and stay with two friends in Luton.
But he travelled to see her and they both come home together on the 29 January.
Describing his mental state, the prosecutor said: ‘He had not sought medical help and although he was quite capable of holding down a job, he was a job centre worker for a number of years, he did not seek help.’
‘He thought that she was seeing someone else and it made him a bit jealous.’
Mr Christie added: ‘Their relationship was becoming extremely fractious at this point, he held the belief that she had betrayed him in some way – the full context of that is not absolutely clear.’
Rexha called the emergency services after the frenzied attack before officers arrived and cautioned him on the suspicion of murder.
When Rexha was taken for questioning he admitted that he was obsessed with the idea of her previous relationships and whether or not she had an abortion.
‘The issue of pregnancy was raised in interview,’ the prosecutor said. ‘He also agreed that he believed that she had been raped by another man.
‘He acknowledged that he kept on asking her about it.
‘He recalled that he became obsessed with her virginity and tried to find information on the internet about how to tell if someone was a virgin.’
After killing his wife Rexha called the emergency services and told them that he had slashed her throat.
Police found victim was lying on her back on her bed.
‘Her head was resting on a pillow and there was also a three-inch slash injury on her arm and she was partially decapitated,’ Mr Christie said.
‘There was various injuries that she sustained, multiple stab wounds – this is not just one wound this is something that has obviously been going on for some time.’
Rexha, of Jessop Court, Islington, was jailed for ten years, with an extended license period of five years after admitting manslaughter by diminished responsibility.