Ludmila Poletelova killer battered victim 50 times with hammer before working dead woman's bar shift

A 47-year-old woman struck a "quiet and kindly soul" 50 times in the head with a claw hammer then worked the dead woman's shift in a wine bar, a court was told on Friday. Details surrounding the "gratuitous and frenzied" attack which claimed the life of 61-year-old Latvian national Ludmila Poletelova emerged during a plea hearing at Belfast Crown Court. Ms Poletelova's remains were discovered in the blood-soaked living room of her flat at Lodge Court in Limavady in April 2021.

Following her murder, the deceased's friend and fellow Latvian woman Svetlana Svedova was arrested.

Despite her initial denials, Svedova admitted battering her friend to death with the hammer and pleaded guilty to a charge of murder last December when she was handed a life sentence. After listening to submissions from the Crown and defence, Mr Justice O'Hara said he wanted time to reflect on what he had heard and said he would set the tariff next Thursday. Prior to this, the Judge was told by prosecuting barrister Mark Farrell Ms Poletelova had been living and working in Northern Ireland for 12 years before she was murdered. Describing the mother-of-two as a "quiet lady who kept herself to herself", Mr Farrell said that when Svedova arrived in Limavady in 2020, Ms Poletelova supported the younger woman financially and helped her to settle in. In April 2021 both woman worked in a local wine bar and on Thursday April 22 Ms Poletelova failed to turn up for her shift. As this was unusual, her boss asked a friend to call at her flat and when they arrived they noticed her front door was ajar. Ms Poletelova was discovered lying face-down in the living room with substantial wounds to her head. The emergency services were called, and she was pronounced dead at 1pm and her remains were removed from the scene.

A post mortem was conducted and it was concluded Ms Poletelova died from blunt force trauma caused by "in excess of 50 blows to the head and skull area". Also noted by the pathologist was a fractured eye socket and defensive wounds to her wrist and hands. A murder investigation was launched and police viewed CCTV from in and around the Lodge Court area. Footage captured Svedova arriving at her friend's flat at around noon on Tuesday April 20 and leaving again just before midnight. CCTV footage also captured Svedova carrying two bags, one of which she placed in a bin in Irish Street. Mr Farrell said: "It's the prosecution's belief that this was the disposal of the murder weapon which we assert was a claw hammer." On Wednesday April 21 Svedova took a taxi to a local rental property agency and paid £520 cash for rent arrears, and when Ms Poletelova failed to turn up for her shift at the wine bar the following day, Svedova worked it. Noticing Svedova had injuries on her arms and was asking people in work if she was being blamed for Ms Poletelova's death, their boss contacted the PSNI. Svedova was arrested at her workplace on suspicion on murder on Sunday April 25 and during interview she admitted she had been at Ms Poletelova's flat that Tuesday but claimed that when he left, her friend was "alive and well".

In a pre-prepared statement to police, Svedova said she and deceased were friends, that Ms Poletelova often lent her money which she paid back and that on Tuesday, 20 April they had been drinking together - but denied attacking her with a hammer. With an address at College Court in Limavady, the mother-of-one subsequently admitted the murder charge. Mr Farrell spoke of the "repeated, gratuitous and frenzied nature of the attack" and said Ms Poletelova was murdered in her own home - a place where she should have felt safe. When he was asked by Mr Justice O'Hara if robbery could have been the motive for the attack - given Svedova paid cash to the rental company after the murder - Mr Farrell said this could not be proven by the Crown. This issue was addressed by defence barrister Alan Kane KC, who said Svedova claimed the cash in question had been given to her by her son. Branding the deceased as a "quiet and kindly soul" who offered support to Svedova when she arrived in Limavady, Mr Kane said his client "has expressed, through me, her deepest remorse for her conduct." Regarding the fatal attack, Mr Kane said it was Svedova's case that whilst the pair were drinking on the Tuesday afternoon, Ms Poletelova made negative comments about her parents and background which "triggered the attack". Mr Justice O'Hara said that as Svedova failed to mention this before, he "wasn't obliged to accept" this claim. After listening to both submissons, the Judge said he would impose the tariff next Thursday (9th) when Svedova will be told the minimum term she will serve in prison before she is considered eligible for release by the Parole Comissioners.

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