Rape trial accused murdered his girlfriend in Moldova in 2002, jury told

Sergiu Boianjiu, who denies attempting to murder a stranger in an alleyway, was released early from a 14-year jail term four years ago.

Northampton Crown and County Court, where Sergiu Boianjiu is on trial. (Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Archive)

A Moldovan national accused of raping and trying to kill a stranger in Northamptonshire was jailed in 2009 for murdering his girlfriend in his home country, a court has heard.

Jurors were told Sergiu Boianjiu was granted early release from a 14-year sentence for the murder of Ludmila Nour, whose body was hidden in a drainage shaft in a forest.

Prosecutors allege former school security guard Boianjiu, 38, raped and attempted to murder a woman who was left in hospital with a bleed on the brain after being attacked as she walked home from a night out in Wellingborough in February this year.

The defendant, of Melton Road North, Wellingborough, denies attempted murder and two counts of rape but has admitted attempted rape and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

CCTV footage of the attack has been shown to the trial, which the prosecution claim shows Boianjiu repeatedly stamping on his victim’s head and face when she was lying defenceless on the ground in an alleyway.

Prosecutors further claim Boianjiu wanted to “eliminate the only witness to his crimes” and intended to conceal her body in a wheelie bin.

The defendant hit this woman several times with his hands and feet over various parts of her body, causing her bodily wounds which led to her death. After that, in order to conceal his crime, he threw her dead body into a drainage shaft

Crown counsel Ellie Brown quoted from earlier trial transcript

Addressing jurors at Northampton Crown Court, prosecution counsel Ellie Brown told jurors Boianjiu was convicted of theft and “deliberate murder” at Moldova’s Riscani District Court on October 9 2009.

Miss Brown also told the court the defendant was released early from his sentence for murder in July 2018.

Quoting from a translation of a record of Boianjiu’s murder trial, Miss Brown said: “On the 18th of August 2002 at approximately 3pm, the defendant was in a park near lake Gusinaia Balca in the county of Chisinau together with a woman, Ludmila Nour.

“The defendant hit this woman several times with his hands and feet over various parts of her body, causing her bodily wounds which led to her death.

“After that, in order to conceal this crime he threw her dead body in a drainage shaft in the park and then fled the scene.”

Jurors were told on Wednesday that Boianjiu travelled to Moscow and Vladivostok in Russia and was not extradited back to Moldova until 2008.

Court documents from Moldova showed that the cause of Miss Nour’s death could not be established but she was found to have suffered “blunt trauma” to the ribcage including seven fractures.

Although three judges in Moldova were not satisfied that Boianjiu had murdered Miss Nour “with an exceeding degree of brutality” they were satisfied that the killing was deliberate.

After details of Boianjiu’s previous conviction were read to the court, he opted not to give evidence in his defence.

During a defence case lasting around 30 seconds, defence QC John Lloyd-Jones told jurors: “We call no evidence on behalf of Mr Boianjiu.”

Before the Crown closed its case, Judge David Herbert QC instructed jurors that evidence about the previous conviction had no relevance to the counts of rape faced by the defendant.

The judge also told jurors they must not convict Boianjiu of attempted murder “wholly or mainly” because of the previous conviction.

The judge told the panel: “The defendant does not accept guilt in respect of his previous conviction.

“The prosecution say it shows he has a tendency to assault women with an intention to kill. On the other hand the defence say that the previous conviction is both old and different in nature.

“If you are not sure that his previous conviction shows such a tendency then you must ignore it completely.”

The trial continues.