The husband of a high-class escort raped and murdered in an Aberdeen flat says he is delighted the “animal” who killed her is behind bars.
But Gareth McGraa said he wants the chance to confront Bala Chinda so he can “finally get the truth” about why he throttled the mother of his son.
Chinda, the son of a Nigerian government official, was given a life sentence yesterday for the sustained and violent attack on the 37-year-old sex worker.
The 26-year-old Robert Gordon University student was found guilty of murder unanimously by a jury at the High Court in Aberdeen.
He was also convicted of rape by a majority verdict.
Mr McGraa had remained in regular contact with the victim despite the couple splitting – and was unaware that she was working as an escort.
Like others, he believed her story that she funded an “expensive lifestyle” through selling hair extensions.
“I’m over the moon, as far as I can be in this situation. I am glad that justice has been done and in the correct manner,” he said after the verdict.
“I can tell my son he’s safe. This guy is behind bars.”
He said the religious mother-of-one would have been devastated that her secret life had been exposed to the public.
“When someone dies, all they have left is their name and good reputation. This monster has taken that all away from her,” he said.
“I hope he never gets out.
“It doesn’t matter how she made her money, no-one deserves to die the way she did. It’s sad and tragic.
“I’m glad the animal that did it got his comeuppance.”
Mr McGraa, from Southport, Merseyside, said he was determined to find out why Chinda committed the crime.
“I desperately want to know what happened to Jessica. Why did he kill her?
” I want to stare him down, eyeball-to-eyeball, and hopefully I can finally get the truth out of him. Just now we don’t know anything.
“I probably knew her better than anyone. I miss her and wish she was still here. Every day I walk past the spot where I buried her ashes. Sometimes if there is no-one else around I’ll have a little chat with her.”