Kornelijus Bracas: 'Brutal, remorseless and cold blooded murderer' stabbed his sister in her Portadown home and set her on fire while she was still alive
The family of a woman murdered in Portadown by her brother said their “hearts remain broken” as he was handed a 24-year life tariff.
Kornelijus Bracas stabbed his sister in the neck and then set her on fire while she was still alive in her Church Street home almost three years ago.
Alesia Nazarova (37) was pronounced dead at the scene whilst Bracas’ 12-year old niece was taken from the house and rushed to hospital.
Handing down the 24-year life tariff, judge Madam Justice McBride told Bracas – of Tresna Park, Randalstown – that was the minimum period he would have to spend in prison before eligible to apply to be released.
As Bracas stood in the dock of Belfast Crown Court, Madam Justice McBride told him: "You are one of the most brutal, remorseless and cold blooded murderers I have had to deal with.
"This is exemplified by the hard-hearted way you told police that you took a knife from the kitchen and slit your sister's throat.
"Then you cleaned the knife and returned it to the kitchen. You have demonstrated gratuitous violence and a callous disregard for life.
"I sentence you to 24 years in prison. You must serve that time before you are considered for release. After that time it will fall to the Parole Commissioners to decide if you should be released on licence subject to conditions.''
During a plea and sentencing hearing last month, prosecution counsel Neil Connor KC told how emergency services were called to the property early on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.
Bracas had set five seats on fire in the house and when firefighters arrived, Ms Nazarova was found downstairs whilst his niece was rescued from a first floor bedroom.
Paramedics also attended and whilst Ms Nazarova was pronounced dead shortly after their arrival, Mr Connor said a subsequent post mortem revealed she was still alive when her brother set her on fire.
She sustained 60 per cent burns and was stabbed between 14 and 15 times in the neck as well as sustaining four abdomenal stab wounds.
The prosecutor said one of the neck wounds was "substantial" and would have required urgent medical attention to prevent loss of life.
The siblings are originally from Lithuanian and Bracas had been staying with his sister and niece after he fell out with both parents and Ms Nazarova took him in.
He was arrested later that day on a towpath close to Portadown Tesco car park.
At this point, he made no reply and police noted a strong smell of heating oil on his clothing.
He was searched and found in possession of his sister's bank card which he used earlier in Tesco.
During police interviews, Bracas admitted killing his sister.
He also admitted setting seats on fire with the intention of burning down the property and stealing the bank card.
When asked by police to explain his actions, Bracas said that in the early hours of March 21 he was packing to leave his sister's home.
He said they argued and after his sister screamed at him he "snapped".
Bracas said that after she started climbing the stairs he grabbed her, placed her in a headlock and applied pressure on her throat until she stopped breathing.
He said he then took a knife from the kitchen which he used to slit her throat and then placed rubbish around her body which he set alight and also soaked towels in heating oil.
Bracas also admitted setting a fire outside his niece's bedroom door.
Bracas claimed his sister didn't appreciate him, treated him “like garbage” and he was made to do household chores like babysitting his niece.
During the tariff sentencing hearing, Madam Justice McBride said these remarks showed Bracas had a "misogynistic attitude towards women. Far from treating him that way the deceased supported him and offered him a home whilst on bail.
"Domestic violence does not just involve intimate partners but wider family relations. It causes havoc in the family and is a scourge on society.
"Northern Ireland has one of the highest rates of femicide in western Europe and there is a need for deterrence which shows society's abhorrence at such conduct and it is also a tool to end this blight in our society.
"In this case the defendant has a criminal record for domestic violence against his mother and brother and was on bail at the time of this offending.
"The offending took place in the home of the deceased where she and his niece should have felt safe.
"The offending involved a very serious breach of trust in respect of family members.''
At arraignment, Bracas denied all charges but subsequently admitted murdering Ms Nazarova and stealing her bank card on March 21, 2023, as well as arson endangering the life of his niece and arson being reckless as to whether the life of others would be endangered.
Mr Connor had cited a number of aggravating factors including that Bracas had set his sister on fire prior to her death and also set fire to the house in an effort to conceal the crime scene.
Mr Connor also raised the issue of deportation and asked Madam Justice McBride to "give consideration" to this.
However, Madam Justice McBride said she had carefully considered this and decided against making a deportation order.
The court also heard part of a Victim Impact Statement from Ms Nazarova’s partner who said they planned to marry.
He said he thinks about Ms Nazarova "every day", describing her as a "very cheerful person''.
In a statement, Ms Nazarova's family said: “Our hearts remain broken, and our family will never be the same again.
"While there’s no magical solution to lessen our pain, we’re grateful for, and have taken genuine comfort from, the kind words and actions of others.
"My message to those who are listening or reading this is simple but heartfelt: please spread love, not hate.”