A Neasden man has been found guilty of stabbing to death the mother of his unborn child with a pair of scissors,
Ioan Campeanu, 44, murdered Andra Hilitanu, who was seven months pregnant, at the bedsit they shared in Neasden Lane in the early hours of June 1.
A jury were unanimous in finding him guilty of murder, the Old Bailey heard today.
The jury then reached a 10-person majority finding him guilty of destruction of a child - killing an unborn but viable foetus.
Ms Hilitanu’s body was found by police in the property’s communal bathroom with multiple injuries, including to her genitals, and a fatal wound to her neck.
Brian O’Neill QC, prosecuting, said: “No one else other than this defendant could have killed Andra, it being his final act of brutality against her after months and years of domestic violence.
He added: “He attacked her and their unborn child, plunging a pair of scissors into her neck and leaving them both to die as he went for a drive deliberately not summoning help for more than two hours in order to ensure that both mother and the child she was carrying were dead.”
The court heard Campeanu went for a drive after killing Ms Hilitanu before eventually calling 999 two hours later and telling an operator he had attacked his girlfriend with scissors. He said: “She’s dead, I killed her.”
Mr O’Neill said a neighbouring bedsit tenant texted the landlord of the property between 11.50pm and 12.40am on May 31 complaining that the couple were fighting.
He said the only voice he heard was a female repeatedly screaming “da, da, da,” Romanian for “yes, yes, yes”.
Ms Hilitanu had left her husband and children to be with Campeanu and the two had lived together since 2016.
The court heard they were both heavy users of crack cocaine, which was in both their systems on the night of the alleged murder.
Thoughout their relationship Campeanu “regularly abused her” and would “send her out to steal and make her take drugs”.
Neighbours reported seeing her with bruises.
On the day of her death she spoke to her brother about her desire to get away from him and leave the country.
Det Insp Jamie Stevenson, from the Met’s murder squad, who led the investigation, said: “Despite initially admitting his guilt to the attending officers, Campeanu has since refused to take responsibility for his despicable actions.
“He has unnecessarily put Andra’s family through even more pain and suffering by forcing them to re-live Andra’s murder at trial.
“My heart goes out to Andra’s friends and family and I hope today’s guilty verdict gives them at least a small measure of comfort and closure.
“We will never know if reporting the abuse she suffered could have saved Andra, but I would implore anyone who is suffering or knows of someone suffering domestic abuse to call police immediately.
“Your call will be treated in the strictest confidence and could ultimately save someone’s life and save you from suffering from years of regret.”
Campeanu will be sentenced at the same court on January 10
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