Man jailed for murdering woman in her sleep

A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering a woman in her sleep and committing a sexual offence against her body afterwards.

Ernestas Juska, 21, was sentenced today (Friday 28 November 2025) at Maidstone Crown Court to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 26 years, after previously pleading guilty to killing Nina Denisova, who was a friend of the family, at an address in Dartford in August 2024.

Juska stabbed Nina repeatedly while she was sleeping. Juska later told police that he decided to kill someone, but claimed he did not know why.

He then left the family home and walked to a nearby bus stop, where he asked a member of the public to call police, as he had just killed someone.

Will Bodiam from the Crown Prosecution Service said: "Today, Juska has been handed a life sentence for this horrific crime. He carried out a brutal and sustained attack on Nina Denisova, a woman who was simply sleeping in what should have been the safety of a friend’s family home.

"The Crown Prosecution Service worked closely with Kent Police to ensure that the strongest possible evidence against Juska was obtained, resulting in Juska's guilty plea and today's sentence.

"Violence against women and girls continues to be a serious and prevalent issue and has no place in our society. The CPS, together with our criminal justice partners and stakeholders, is absolutely committed to tackling and reducing these abhorrent crimes through robust prosecutions that ensure perpetrators face the full force of the law.

"While no sentence can undo the devastating loss suffered by Nina's family and friends, we hope that today's outcome provides some measure of justice. Our thoughts remain with all those who knew and loved Nina."