Turkey Factory Butcher Receives Life Sentence for Girlfriend's Murder and Garden Burial
Anna Podedworna has been handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 20 years and 116 days for the brutal murder of her girlfriend, Izabela Zablocka, in 2010. The 40-year-old butcher, who worked in a poultry factory, killed Zablocka and buried her dismembered body in the garden of their terraced home in Derby.
Gruesome Details Emerge in Court
Derby Crown Court heard that Podedworna bludgeoned Zablocka to death before cutting her body in half with a large knife. She then placed the remains into plastic bags and buried them under concrete in what was described as a "filthy, makeshift grave". Prosecutor Gordon Aspden KC stated that Zablocka was "trussed up like a chicken you would see in the supermarket" before being buried.
15-Year Concealment and Discovery
Zablocka, a 30-year-old mother from Poland, was last heard from on August 28, 2010. Her family reported her missing, but Podedworna lied for years, claiming Zablocka had "run off" to London. The truth only surfaced in 2025 when mounting pressure from a Polish journalist and missing persons charity led Podedworna to email police.
In June 2025, officers searched the garden at 113 Princes Street and discovered badly decomposed human remains. DNA tests confirmed the identity as Izabela Zablocka. Podedworna was subsequently charged with murder, perverting the course of justice, and preventing a lawful burial.
Sentencing and Impact
On February 10, 2026, a jury found Podedworna guilty on all charges. At sentencing, Judge Justice Heather Williams KC highlighted "many serious aggravating features" and noted the profound impact on Zablocka's daughter, who was left with "a very deep wound in her psyche".
Podedworna claimed she acted in self-defense after Zablocka attempted to strangle her, but admitted she lacked the strength to move the body and decided to "cut her in two". She confessed to burying Zablocka in the garden because she believed no one would believe her story.
Background of the Couple
Both women were originally from Poland and moved to the UK in 2009, working at a poultry factory. They later lived together in Princes Street, Normanton. Zablocka's young daughter remained in Poland with relatives, and Zablocka maintained regular contact until her disappearance.
The case underscores the tragic consequences of domestic violence and the lengthy concealment of a horrific crime that devastated a family for over a decade.
