Man who murdered sister and set fire to home to be sentenced next year

Warning: This article contains details that some readers may find distressing.

A man who murdered his sister and then set a fire outside his niece's bedroom in a Portadown home in March 2023 will be sentenced in January, a court has heard.

Kornelijus Bracas, 27, with an address at Tresna Park in Randalstown, pleaded guilty to the murder of his sister, Alesia Nazarova, in October.

Ms Nazarova was found by firefighters in her flat which she shared with her brother and 12-year-old daughter, who had to be rescued from her bedroom, the 37-year-old died a short time later.

During a plea hearing at Belfast Crown Court, details of the murder, the subsequent arrest of Bracas and his police interviews were heard.

The court heard that Ms Nazarova had been stabbed before being set alight.

In the early hours of the night of the murder, Bracas had an argument with his sister on the stairs of the house they shared, the court heard.

During police interviews Bracas said he had "snapped" after his sister screamed at him.

He said he strangled her and then stabbed her multiple times in the neck.

Bracas then placed several towels soaked in heating oil around the house - including outside his niece's bedroom door - before setting them alight.

Ms Nazarova, the court heard, was still alive when the fires were lit.

Bracas was arrested on the towpath in Portadown and subsequently pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Nazarova.

He also pleaded guilty to arson endangering the life of his niece and arson being reckless as to whether the life of others would be endangered.

The court also heard a portion of a victim impact statement written by Ms Nazarova's partner who spoke of how they had planned to marry.

In his statement, he said he thinks about Ms Nazarova every day and how he wishes she could see their daughter growing up.

Both Ms Nazarova and her brother are originally from Lithuania.

During submissions a prosecution barrister outlined Bracas' interview with police, where he told them he felt his sister treated him like garbage and made him do chores and babysit his niece.

A defence barrister said that Bracas "now accepts" his sister was "supporting him" and that she was "not to blame for anything".

The judge described domestic violence as a "blight on society" and said the number of murders committed in domestic settings had "sky-rocked in this jurisdiction".

The judge said she wanted time to reflect on what she has heard and would set a tariff for how long Bracas would spend in prison on 16 January 2026.

If you, or someone you know, have been affected by domestic abuse or violence, the BBC Action Line provides organisations that can help.