Murderer gets 16 years for brutal hammer attack on beloved grandma
Svetlana Svedova, 47, has been slapped with a minimum 16-year sentence at Belfast Crown Court for the savage murder of 61-year-old Ludmila Poletelova.
Hammer horror in Limavady
Ludmila was viciously attacked in her own home in Limavady in April 2021. A post-mortem revealed she suffered a horrific head injury from more than 50 hammer blows, leaving multiple skull fractures.
Detective Inspector Claire McGarvey described the assault as “shocking” and “ferocious.” She said: “We believe Svedova visited Ludmila’s home on the afternoon of 20 April. The attack followed what the defendant claims was an argument.”
Justice after painstaking probe
Ludmila’s body was discovered three days later by a friend. Svedova initially denied guilt but eventually caved after police pieced together CCTV footage and forensic evidence.
Detective Inspector McGarvey added: “This was a senseless, cruel and brutal loss of an innocent life. The defendant’s delay in pleading guilty prolonged the family’s torment.”
Ludmila remembered fondly by community
The victim, originally from Latvia, had quietly lived and worked in Limavady for years. She was well-respected and liked, says McGarvey, who thanked locals for their help with the investigation.
She also paid tribute to Ludmila’s family, who expressed gratitude to those who fundraised to bring her remains back to Latvia.
“Today my thoughts are with Ludmila’s two sons and two grandchildren who remain heartbroken and distraught by the violence inflicted on their loved one.”
