A man is facing a sentence of life imprisonment after today pleading guilty to murdering popular school worker Borbala ‘Bori’ Benko.
Zbigniew Soj, 24, of Sherborne Road, in the Great Horton/Shearbridge area of Bradford, also admitted attempting to murder Klaudia Rogozinka. Police have now released a custody picture of Soj.
Soj was before Bradford Crown Court on a video link to HMP Leeds for a further case management hearing this afternoon when the charges were put to him. He had made his first appearance before a court in November last year.
He pleaded guilty to murdering Miss Benko, 24, who lived in Sherborne Road, on November 21 last year, and attempting to murder Klaudia Rogozinka, 21, on the same date.
Bori Benko found with multiple stab wounds in Sherborne Road
Richard Wright QC, Soj’s barrister, said the court was notified of the pleas when the psychiatric report became available.
He suggested that Soj is sentenced on May 19 when all the relevant material is gathered.
Mark McKone QC, for the Crown, said victim personal statements would be available on that date.
Judge Jonathan Rose asked that Soj be produced in court for the sentencing hearing.
In the days after the murder, her family issued a statement saying how much she would be missed.
Miss Benko came to the United Kingdom from Hungary as a youth worker in 2016.
Bradford charity the Global Café said it was ‘devastated beyond words’ after hearing that Miss Benko, who worked as a volunteer there, had died.
Miss Benko had completed her early years practitioner studies through Bradford College and Bradford University, with the dream of founding her own SEN school in Hungary, but died just a week before she was due to receive her award.
A touching tribute was paid at Bradford College's graduation ceremony. Friends and family of Bori listened as lecturer Debbie Rolls read a speech saying: “We are proud that Bori studied with us at Bradford College.
“We are deeply saddened that she is no longer with us. She radiated joy, concern for others and had a real passion for working with children.
“Today Bori should have graduated.
“It is fitting that we use this opportunity to celebrate her life. To travel to a new country and complete a degree is an accomplishment in itself."
After news of her death emerged, a fundraising page was set up in her memory.
The initial target was £7,000 with the aim of repatriating Bori's body to her original homeland of Hungary for her funeral.
That target was exceeded in just a day, with the thousands of pounds of extra monet set to be used to set up an educational foundation in her legacy.
Bori was an active member of Bradford Cathedral, and it was the Acting Dean, Canon Paul Maybury, who set up the crowdfunding page.
At the time, Rev Maybury said: "It's devastating for anybody to die under such circumstances but all the more so because of her commitment to work with those with particular needs. Her intention was to go back to Hungary to found a school because, in Hungary, they don't have schools like over here to set up to support children with additional needs.
"She was a personal friend to many many people. She was the kind of person who lit up the room whenever she came in, she was very joyful, she exuded faith and was a very hope filled person and in the school where she taught, Canterbury School, she was highly regarded and respected by all her colleagues who adopted the phrase 'be more Bori' because of the way in which she was with colleagues and with the children."
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