In a harrowing testimony at Derby Crown Court, Anna Podedworna, now 40, described feeling 'like some sort of monster' after she spent two hours cutting her partner's body in half and placing the remains in bin bags. Podedworna is on trial accused of murder, preventing a lawful burial, and perverting the course of justice, charges she denies.
Fatal Altercation and Self-Defence Claim
Podedworna admitted to killing Izabela Zablocka, then aged 30, but claimed she was acting in self-defence. She recounted how, in August or September 2010, she returned home from work to find Zablocka 'tipsy' and angry over a minor delay. According to Podedworna, Zablocka grabbed her and began strangling her, pressing her against a wall and leaving her struggling to breathe.
In a desperate attempt to escape, Podedworna said she put her hands around Zablocka's neck and then grabbed a heavy horse figurine from a windowsill, striking Zablocka twice until she fell to the floor, motionless. After checking for a pulse and attempting resuscitation, Podedworna decided not to call for help, fearing no one would believe her self-defence story and that she would face life imprisonment.
Gruesome Dismemberment and Burial
Realising she could not move Zablocka's body from the living room, Podedworna made the chilling decision to dismember it. She retrieved a kitchen knife, removed Zablocka's clothes, and spent one to two hours cutting the body in half at the waist. Podedworna noted there was little blood on the floor during this process.
She then wrapped the two halves in black bin bags, placed them in a wheelie bin in the garden, and tidied the living room and kitchen floors. Overwhelmed by her actions, Podedworna told the court she felt 'like some type of a monster'. The next day, she went to work as usual, and upon returning home, dug a grave in the garden, buried the bags, and later covered the site with hardstanding, enlisting acquaintances to help with cement work.
Background and Discovery of Remains
The two women, both from Poland, had moved to the UK in 2009 for a better life and worked at a turkey factory in Derbyshire. Their relationship was strained by arguments over money, Zablocka's reluctance to work, and her drinking. Jurors were also told that tensions escalated after Zablocka refused to undergo gender reassignment surgery, which Podedworna said her partner had wanted for years.
Zablocka's body was discovered in June last year, buried under the hardstanding of the Derby home they shared, 15 years after she last contacted her family in August 2010. Podedworna had previously told a TV reporter she had no idea where Zablocka was.
Emotional Testimony and Ongoing Trial
During her evidence, given via a Polish interpreter, Podedworna wept as she recalled the events. She expressed guilt over the killing and dismemberment, stating, 'Despite that I did not want all of this, I feel guilty.' After Zablocka's death, Podedworna moved on with her life, having two children with a local man, while Zablocka's family remained unaware of her fate until the remains were found.
The trial continues, with jurors hearing detailed accounts of the alleged crimes and Podedworna's defence. The case highlights complex issues of domestic violence, self-defence claims, and the tragic consequences of a relationship breakdown.
