Man, 22, in court charged with murdering student Sabita Thanwani at uni halls
THE boyfriend of a student found dead at her university halls has appeared in court charged with murder.
Sabita Thanwani, 19, was discovered beneath blankets and a duvet with a serious neck injury at City University in London on Saturday.
Her boyfriend Maher Maaroufe, 22, today appeared at the Old Bailey charged with murder.
His is also accused of headbutting a police officer during his arrest after he was found sleeping under tarpaulin in a garden shed.
The court was told the couple had arrived back to Sabita's halls in Clerkenwell at around 1.50am on Saturday.
A neighbour called 999 when they heard screams coming from the psychology student's room, it was said.
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Police discovered Sabita lying beneath blankets and a duvet on the floor with a serious neck injury.
A post mortem gave a cause of death as sharp force trauma to the neck.
Maaroufe, who was assisted by an Arabic interpreter, was remanded in custody to next appear for a plea hearing on June 30.
Sabita's heartbroken family described the student as their "angel" in a tribute.
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They said: "Sabita was the most caring and loving person we have ever known.
"She inspired us every day of her precious 19 years of life. Her mission was to help everyone.
"Her whole life was ahead of her, a life where her radiant smile and incredible heart could only spread warmth and kindness.
"We will never ever stop loving or missing our beautiful, irreplaceable Sabita, the girl that was an angel upon the earth is now an angel in heaven."
