The mother of murder victim Zofia Sadowska has described the pain her daughter’s death has caused.

Junior prosecutor Lisa Goddard read out a victim impact statement written by Zofia's mother Katarzyna, on behalf of the family, during today’s sentencing.

She said: "On September 19 our lives changed forever when the police explained to me on the phone that somehow my daughter had been found murdered," she read. "I just couldn't take it in. I hope she didn't suffer in any way.

She continued: "When do we, as a family, sit down as a family, and begin to tell my grandson what has happened to his mum? This will be a hard thing to do. We don't have the words at the moment."

"We will never get over her murder but we learn to deal with it every day," she added. "We sometimes think about the person who killed Zofia but we know no sentence will bring her back to us.”

Addressing killer Ashan Hassan, Judge Johanna Cutts said: “No parent should have to cope with the loss of a murdered child and no child should have to grow up without a mother that is murdered.

“I have to sentence you here today but Zofia's family will forever have to live with her loss."

Hassan has been told he faces life behind bars with a minimum sentence of 24 years after he was found guilty of the 20-year-old’s murder.