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Couple Found Guilty For Murdering Their French Nanny

Couple Found Guilty For Murdering Their French Nanny

The kidnapped, tortured and murdered the 21-year-old over several days and tried to burn her body on a bonfire

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

A couple has been found guilty of kidnapping, torturing and murdering their French nanny.

Sabrina Kouider, 35, and Ouissem Medouni, 40, together killed Sophie Lionnet in their home following accusations that the 21-year-old was conspiring to frame the man for rape, as well as stealing their belongings and having her ex-boyfriend, Boyzone founding member Mark Walton, spy on the couple.

Metropolitan Police

The trial heard terrifying accounts of Sophie's final days, with Prosecutor Richard Horwell QC saying in March: "The last days and hours of Sophie's life must have been truly wretched. She was subjected, at times, to a brutal and oppressive inquisition and to significant violence."

According to the Metro, Kouider and Medouni installed cameras in their property to prove that Sophie was helping Walton break in.

During her torture, Sophie admitted to the fake accusations in the hope that it would spare her life - however it only egged on the murderers further.

Sophie died after suffering fractures to four ribs, her jaw and sternum. She was starved and at one point she was waterboarded in the couple's bath.

Sophie Lionnet's mum Catherine Devallonne and dad Patrick Lionnet.
PA

The couple decided to hide the body inside a suitcase, which Kouider tested first to see if a human could fit inside.

After leaving it for two days, the couple decided to throw the piece of luggage onto a bonfire at the back of their property and barbecued chicken to mask the scent of burning flesh. The fire grew to the point that neighbours got worried and called emergency services - which was when their gruesome plan was discovered.

Prosecutor Horwell told the court: "The plan was to dispose of Sophie's body and to explain her disappearance by inventing a story that she had left under something of a cloud and had returned to France.

PA

"Another missing person, no longer their responsibility, her disappearance nothing to do with them."

During the trial, it was revealed that it was Kouider who concocted these delusions about Sophie and eventually her partner became hooked on the accusations as well.

Horwell continued: "Sophie was not only young, but also naive and particularly vulnerable and this made her an easy target for abuse and exploitation. Sophie had a big heart but was not worldly wise and it was easy to take advantage of her.

Both her parents were at the Old Bailey where Kouider and Medouni were found guilty by a jury of seven women and five men.

The couple will be sentenced next month.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Police, UK News, News, crime, Body, UK, court