A DIPLOMAT’S son has been sentenced to a minimum of 18 years for the rape and murder of an escort and mother.

Bala Chinda, 26, whose father is the immigration attache at the Nigerian Embassy in Beijing, is thought to have asphyxiated Jessica McGraa, 37, with a pillow and may have used her scarf to strangle her at an apartment in the centre of Aberdeen.

The former student at the city’s Robert Gordon University was found guilty by a jury of rape and murder at the High Court in Aberdeen and sentenced to life in prison yesterday.

Judge Lord Beckett said Chinda had ended the life of a woman described by friends giving evidence as “full of fun” and who had everything left to live for.

He said it had taken time for police to unravel what had happened at the flat in Union Terrace on February 12 last year after Chinda changed his phone number after her death.

He had also “deceived” Ms McGraa from the outset.

Lord Beckett said: “At the heart of this horrific crime was a young mother, daughter and friend whose life was cut tragically short in what must have been terrifying circumstances.

“Throughout Chinda has shown no real remorse for his depraved actions and taken no responsibility for robbing a young boy of his mother.

“It is hard to imagine how difficult this past year has been for her family and friends and our thoughts are with them today.”

Chinda had arrived in Scotland to study only a week before the killing.

Ms McGraa’s body was found partially clothed the day after the murder.

CCTV footage revealed that she had travelled to Chinda’s student accommodation on King Street with him in a taxi before they returned to her apartment a short time later.

She made her last ever call on her mobile phone a few minutes before surveillance cameras recorded Chinda walking down the street away from her flat.

But a taxi driver taking Chinda and Ms McGraa back to her apartment had heard them discussing money before she was killed.

Chinda was also convicted of stealing her two mobile phones and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

Lord Beckett told the jury of eight women and seven men they had gone about their duties commendably after listening to evidence they may have found “very distressing”.

Chinda, he said, had ended the woman described by friends giving evidence as “full of fun” and who had much left to live for.

Chinda, who had shown no remorse, wept uncontrollably and the judge briefly delayed his judgement to ask the killer’s defence lawyer if his client was understanding the proceedings.

Mrs McGraa, who was also Nigerian, leaves behind a seven-year-old son who lived with her adopted mother in London. The victim was herself an orphan and regularly sent money back to her family.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Houston said: “At the heart of this horrific crime was a young mother, daughter and friend whose life was cut tragically short in what must have been terrifying circumstances. Chinda has shown no real remorse for his depraved actions and taken no responsibility for robbing a young boy of his mother.

“It is hard to imagine how difficult this past year has been for her family and friends.”