Man Jailed for Murder of Family Friend in Killing Described as ‘Unimaginable Depravity’

A 21-year-old man who killed a family friend as she slept—before committing sexual acts on her body—has been sentenced to life imprisonment for what a judge called a crime of “almost unimaginable depravity.”

Ernestas Juska murdered 39-year-old Nina Denisova, his mother’s friend, in August 2024 while she was staying overnight at their home in Dartford, Kent. After the attack, Juska left the house, walked to a nearby bus stop and asked a passer-by to call police, telling them he had just killed someone.

Judge: Pornography had “extreme impact” on defendant

At Maidstone Crown Court, medical experts testified that Juska’s consumption of violent pornography—including material involving dead bodies, rape and bestiality—had a significant psychological impact. Mr Justice Dexter Dias KC said it was no coincidence that Juska attempted to “try” having sex with a corpse after consuming such content.

Juska received a life sentence with a minimum term of 26 years, reduced by the time already served on remand.

“I have no doubt that the last moments of Nina Denisova’s life were lived in extreme, unexpected and undeserved horror,” the judge said.

A planned killing after a night of drinking and drugs

Earlier that evening, Juska had been socialising at home with his mother, Ms Denisova, and other friends. The court heard that he had taken cocaine and drunk alcohol before tensions escalated when his mother criticised him for being unemployed.

According to the judge, Juska then made a deliberate decision to kill someone. “He thought through his options,” Justice Dias said. “He did not want to kill his mother or sister, and he knew Ms Denisova was asleep.”

Between 5:30am and 6am, Juska took “the biggest knife he could find” from the kitchen and went to the room where Ms Denisova was sleeping.

Prosecutor Danny Moore KC described the attack in graphic detail: Ms Denisova was first stabbed in the neck. When she did not die and began to struggle, Juska covered her mouth and stabbed her through both eyes. He later stabbed her in the stomach and chest, telling police that he “didn’t feel anything” during the final attack.

Family devastated as killer shows no motive

Ms Denisova had moved to the UK from Lithuania in 2006. Her brother described her in a statement as a “very calm and positive person” who loved giving gifts and bringing joy to those around her.

“We can never forgive him for what he’s done,” he wrote. “We will never understand why he did what he did that sad day.”

Both her father and brother attended the two-day sentencing hearing.

Justice Dias agreed with Kent Police’s assessment of the case:
“This was a murder involving acts of almost unimaginable depravity.”