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Wimbledon Couple Jailed for Life for Murder of Au Pair Sophie Lionnet

The case exposes how isolated live-in workers can be trapped by abusive employers.

Overview

  • A jury convicted Sabrina Kouider and Ouissem Medouni of murder, and the court sentenced each to life in prison with a minimum term of 30 years.
  • Prosecutors said Kouider’s delusional fixation on ex-boyfriend Mark Walton fueled false claims that Lionnet was having an affair, and Walton told the Old Bailey he had never met her.
  • Hours of videos showed the 21-year-old being interrogated, accused of wild conspiracies, and threatened with rape, imprisonment, and further violence.
  • Medical evidence detailed starvation and beatings that left fractures to Lionnet’s sternum, four ribs, and jawbone.
  • After her death, the pair tried to burn her body on a garden barbecue, which firefighters discovered, and investigators said the post-mortem damage has obscured the exact cause of death.