Woman Stands Trial for Murder After Girlfriend's Body Discovered in Former Garden
A 40-year-old woman is currently on trial accused of murdering her girlfriend, whose dismembered remains were discovered buried under hardstanding in the garden of their former Derby home. Anna Podedworna faces charges of murder, preventing a lawful burial, and perverting the course of justice, all of which she denies.
The Discovery and Arrest
Izabela Zablocka's body was found in June last year after Podedworna emailed Derbyshire Police, revealing the location of the remains. The court heard that Podedworna was subsequently arrested at her Derby home, where she was cautioned in the corridor while living with her mother and children.
The arrest followed a search at the couple's former property around the corner, where Ms Zablocka's remains were uncovered. Prosecutors described this as the culmination of a long investigation into the disappearance of the 30-year-old, who vanished in 2010.
A Violent Death and Dismemberment
Jurors were told that Ms Zablocka suffered a 'violent death' sometime between August 28 and October 1, 2010. Her body had been dismembered, bound with electrical tape, and placed in two plastic bin bags.
A Home Office pathologist, Dr Stuart Hamilton, testified that while the exact cause of death could not be determined due to the passage of time, severe force would have been required to cut through Ms Zablocka's spine. The prosecution alleges Podedworna used skills learned while employed as a butcher to cut the body in half.
A Volatile Relationship and Gender Reassignment Demands
The court heard that the relationship between the two women, who moved to the UK from Poland in 2009, was described as 'tense' and 'volatile'. Podedworna allegedly wanted Ms Zablocka to undergo gender reassignment surgery, making it a condition for their relationship to continue.
Ms Zablocka's daughter, Katarzyna (known as Kasia), testified via video link from Poland. She stated that her mother sometimes presented herself more as a male and that she overheard discussions about gender reassignment between the couple.
Kasia recalled an incident in 2009 where Podedworna chased her mother with a kitchen knife, describing arguments often fueled by alcohol and centred on jealousy. 'From my point of view as a child... they were mainly about jealousy,' she told the court.
The Final Contact and Missing Person Report
Ms Zablocka's mother, Bozena Kopcynska, also gave evidence via video link. She recounted her last conversation with her daughter on August 28, 2010, and grew concerned when Ms Zablocka failed to contact Kasia for her birthday in September that year.
When Ms Kopcynska contacted Podedworna via social media to inquire about her daughter's whereabouts, she was told Ms Zablocka had left Derby after 'stealing money from a gypsy guy'. The mother reported her daughter missing to Polish police in January 2011.
Life After the Alleged Murder
Prosecutors allege that after Ms Zablocka's death, Podedworna 'got on with her life as normal', including having two children with a local man. The case remained cold until May last year, when a TV journalist, Rafal Zalewski, contacted Podedworna requesting an interview.
Prosecutor Gordon Aspden KC described this contact as the 'tipping point' that led Podedworna to email Derbyshire Police. She later attended a police station, claiming Ms Zablocka died in an accident during a violent confrontation. The remains were found shortly after during a police search.
The trial continues as jurors hear further evidence in this complex and tragic case.
