This vile killer was found guilty of dousing his wife in gasoline and setting her ablaze, and he was given a life sentence.
Georgian Constantine will be sentenced to 28 years in prison starting today for the horrific fireball attack that killed Valentina Kozma. The 42-year-old man had pleaded not guilty to murder, but the jury disagreed.
Stafford Crown Court heard how Constantine poured petrol on 40-year-old Valentina and set her on fire in his kitchen on February 9 this year. Her autopsy determined that she died from the fire. Police began investigating after the suspect admitted to the attack in a Facebook post, but he later deleted the post.
Five days later, he was arrested at an address in London, 240 miles away. The court heard that Constantine was seeking revenge for ending his relationship with his ex-wife and starting a new one. He was also found guilty of threatening to kill Valentina's new boyfriend, telling her over the phone that he would "pick her out and come get her".
Constantine was sentenced to two years in prison for threatening to kill Dita Kostel. Stoke-on-Trent Live reported that Ms Valentine chose to remain in the UK rather than return to her family in Romania to finish her education, leaving behind her heartbroken brother, niece and 17-year-old son.
Philip Bradley, prosecuting, said: "The petrol brought to the scene was used as a weapon." There are some upsetting aspects to the messages the defendant sent immediately after the killing. He specifically placed the blame on his 16-year-old son, and the confessional messages that arrived on her cell phone must have caused great pain to her family.
This is an incident where it can be fairly said that there was murder rather than serious harm. ” Rachel Brand, defending, said: "It is incomprehensible that a middle-aged man with no criminal record would commit such a horrific crime.
Some people accept the end of a long-term relationship. Others cannot." At first he tried. He agreed to leave her house so she and her son could stay there. He went to a shared house. However, sharing a home with another man proved to be an unfamiliar and unwelcoming environment for him, which rather isolated him.
It only made his grief worse. She added: "He was depressed and had suicidal thoughts." He was completely devastated by the loss of his family. This mental trauma. He will live with the guilt that his actions killed the woman he loved and caused terrible pain to his son.
He may never have a relationship with his son again. Sentencing him, Judge Christina Montgomery KC said Constantine had shown no remorse for his actions. She said: "Valentina was 40 years old when she passed away. She was a devoted mother to her son.
Everyone speaks positively of her. She was a caring, supportive, and nurturing woman who cared for others before taking care of herself. Her loss and the circumstances in which she was killed caused pain to those who loved her.
A sense of loss that can never be repaired. Her son spoke with the emotional maturity of a teenager coming to terms with a new world without his parents. How confusing even the smallest decisions he would have asked his mother for advice on.
The judge explained the relationship between Valentina and Constantine. They met and married 20 years ago when she was pregnant with her son. However, a few years later, Valentina filed for divorce, also due to Konstantin's gambling addiction.
But Ms Constantine threatened to harm herself if she left and she was "intimidated by his emotional manipulation". However, at the end of 2022, she decided to permanently separate, and Konstantin reluctantly agreed to move out of his parents' home.
When she found out about her new boyfriend, he started planning to kill her. He even told his colleague, "I'm going to get that bitch." The judge continued: “When you left home, it was clear that you recognized yourself as the victim of injustice.
40-year-old Valentina was set her on fire in his kitchen
You convinced yourself that this was the cause of her decision to pursue another relationship.'' That's the reason for your breakup. Her cries of pain were heard by neighbors. Several other witnesses entered the property and attempted to call for help.
They did nothing to help her or call emergency services for her. When Konstantin was sentenced, he showed no emotion.
He would need 28 years in prison before the parole board would consider him for release, and in addition to the murder sentence, he would also face a two-year sentence for threatening to kill.
The 256 days he spent in custody will count towards his sentence. Detective Inspector Adrian Webb, of Staffordshire Police's Central Investigation Branch, said after the incident: "Today's sentence reflects the seriousness of Georgian Constantine's crimes."
blogpay
Total Comments: 0