A BRADFORD figure has given her reaction after a man who killed a London primary school teacher was sentenced to life in prison last week.

Sharena Lee Satti, a poet and activist, has called for improvements to women’s safety following the murder of Sabina Nessa in September.

Sharena also believes that Ms Nessa and her family were treated differently by the authorities due to their ethnicity, and that the case was also reported differently because Ms Nessa was a woman of colour.

Ms Nessa, 28, was murdered by Koci Selamaj, who was jailed for life with a minimum term of 36 years on Friday.

“A life sentence will never bring Sabina back”, said Sharena.

“He got the highest possible sentence, but that doesn't change that he took an innocent woman's life.

“Women’s safety isn't spoken about enough and isn’t taken seriously enough.

“Women always have to be cautious when walking. In Sabina Nessa’s case, even walking through her local park wasn't safe - when will this change?

“Conversations need to be held, at grassroots level, with women and girls who want to support and encourage change.

“We need to give local women a voice, stop cutting back on streetlights and educate young people in schools about self-expression and dealing with your emotions.

“A young child who understands his emotions will grow to have a healthier understanding of their feelings as an adult.

“Some children have a lot going on at home and sometimes have nowhere to direct their feelings. That later, as an adult, that turns to anger, and more dangerously to abuse and violence.

“The authorities also play a huge role in supporting women’s safety. If we can't trust the police, who can we trust?

“I loved that recently, in Bradford, police went undercover to tackle sexual harassment. That really gave me hope that the police are using their roles to bring change.”

Sharena argued that race played a role in how Ms Nessa’s murder was reported.

“The news was delayed - people first heard about it through social media”, she said.

“This case was treated differently. We have seen time and time again how people are treated differently by the authorities because of their ethnicity.

“It's deeply shocking that this is still happening.

“It's such a difficult time for Sabina’s family, the last thing they need to be worrying about is how they are being treated – my heart feels for them.

“Equality and empathy should be at the forefront of all cases.”