Couple who decapitated woman are jailed for life

A jealous girlfriend was jailed for life yesterday for murdering a young Chinese graduate whose headless corpse was found floating in a London marina.

Noor Mohd-Yusoff, who denied any involvement in the killing, had sent the 23-year-old victim, Xing Xing Xie, a text message threatening to kill her just days before she died, the Old Bailey heard. Mohd-Yusoff, 22, a Malaysian prostitute, was possessive of her boyfriend, Trach Lon Gian, jurors were told.

The court heard that in April last year Mohd-Yusoff returned to the home she shared with Gian in New Cross, south-east London, to find Ms Xing Xing, a University of Liverpool graduate, and her boyfriend after a 36-hour pornography and cocaine-fuelled party.

Two days later, Ms Xing Xing's headless and handless corpse was discovered floating in a laundry bag in the South Dock Marina in Bermondsey, south London. Seven weeks later her decapitated head was found, wrapped in plastic bin liners in an adjacent dock.

Tests showed Ms Xing Xing had her head cut off while she was still alive.

Mohd-Yusoff collapsed sobbing in the dock yesterday as she and Gian, 27, from Belfast, were found guilty of murder.

Gian, who was also found guilty of perverting the course of justice, must serve at least 22 years. His girlfriend was jailed for a minimum of 15 years.