Accused 'searched reformed murderers on internet'

A woman accused of murdering her partner made internet searches for "reformed murderers" and "does a person with a criminal record get Universal Credit", a court has heard.

Anna Podedworna, 40, of Boyer Street in Derby, has denied murdering Izabela Zablocka, who was reported missing in 2010 after moving to Derby from Poland.

Police discovered Zablocka's remains buried in the garden of a house in Princes Street on 1 June 2025, after Podedworna emailed the force telling them her body would be found there.

On Tuesday, Derby Crown Court heard police examined her messages and internet search history from 2010 to 2025.

Jurors were previously told Podedworna had killed Zablocka, cut her in half with a large knife and buried her.

During his cross-examination of Podedworna, prosecutor Gordon Aspden KC asked the defendant, who spoke through a Polish interpreter, "murder is taking someone's life deliberately, isn't it?" She replied: "Yes."

The court heard Podedworna had searched "reformed murderers" on the internet, and was asked by Aspden: "Who were you thinking of there?"

"Maybe bad people who are in a similar situation to myself," the defendant responded.

The prosecutor then asked Podedworna how a "murderer" is someone in a "similar situation", to which she said: "I wasn't planning on killing or hurting anybody."

Jurors were also told that Podedworna searched "does a person with a criminal record get Universal Credit".

Aspden then asked: "Who was that in relation to, you or someone else?"

Podedworna said it was for herself.

Aspden told Podedworna she did not have a criminal record. She said: "I knew if I went to the police I'd have one."

When asked to explain why by the prosecutor, Podedworna said by telling police the location of Zablocka's body, it was "obvious" she would get "some sort of sentence" for what she said was an accident.

During cross-examination, Aspden told Podedworna that she made "no attempt" to call an ambulance or get medical help when Zablocka died, to which she responded "that's true".

The court heard on the day Zablocka died - around August or September 2010 - Podedworna said she returned home from work when Zablocka began shouting at her, asking why she was 10 minutes late.

Podedworna said Zablocka then grabbed her by the neck and held her up against the wall, jurors previously heard.

Aspden asked: "Did you have bruises on your neck from where she had been strangling you?"

She said she could not remember.

The prosecutor told the court if Zablocka had done what Podedworna alleged, she would have been able to show marks.

Aspden said: "You could have taken photos of the marks if that's what happened.

"Did you not think of doing something like that if you're telling the truth?"

She told the court: "No, I was horrified she was dead, I didn't think about anything else then."

The prosecutor told the court when Zablocka returned to their property on 28 August 2010, "things took a very, very sinister turn of events".

He said: "The two of you were arguing and you murdered her didn't you?"

Podedworna said: "No."

Aspden added: "You hated her so much by then that you chopped her in half and chucked her out with the trash didn't you?"

"I'm accepting I did it," Podedworna said.

The trial continues.

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