A “violent and controlling” man who beat and killed his girlfriend in her own home pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the Old Bailey today (May 21).

Hussain Abu, 37, of Whitechapel Road, Whitechapel, today accepted responsibility for the death of 26-year-old Sannah Javed at her flat in Green Lane, Ilford, on December 2 last year.

The court heard that at the time of her death Sannah had been in a turbulent relationship with Abu for a number of years.

Their relationship had been peppered with domestic altercations.

By December 2014, Sannah and Abu were living apart.

Around 11.15pm on December 2, police officers were called to the address by London Ambulance Service (LAS) following reports of a collapsed female.

On their arrival, officers found Abu at the address in an agitated state.

He initially told officers at the scene that Sannah had collapsed while sitting on her bed, but would later offer two alternative versions of the evening's events.

Sannah was taken to King George Hospital in Goodmayes where she died at 12.32am on December 3.

Following a post mortem three days later, Sannah was found to have sustained a number of internal and external injuries.

Home Office athologist Dr Ashley Fegan-Earl concluded that some of these injuries were in keeping with a third party assault.

Abu was arrested on December 6 and charged the following day.

Detective chief inspector Tim Duffield, of the homicide and serious crime command, said: "The police investigation exposed Hussein Abu as a violent and controlling man, a person who, after attacking his partner, was prepared to lie in an effort to escape justice.

"Abu had ample opportunity to admit his guilt earlier but chose to put Sannah's family through the further ordeal of a criminal trial.

I can only hope today's outcome helps her family begin to come to terms with their loss."

Abu will be sentenced at the Old Bailey tomorrow.