Husband of Nigerian sex worker found dead had no idea she was a call girl, 'I thought she was making money from hair extensions'

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Estranged husband of Nigerian-born Jessica McGraa revealed that she hid her double life as a £220-an-hour call girl from him.

 

Gareth McGraa, 56, believed that Jessica, 37, was making money to fund the high life she loved by selling hair extensions. Gareth told of his grief at her death – and his hurt that she had deceived him. 

 

The couple, who have a six-year-old son split when the child was a year old. After that, Gareth says, they had several reunions and he always hoped they would end up back together permanently.

That dream died along with the woman Gareth knew as a devout Christian and a doting mother. Gareth, from Southport on Merseyside, said:

"I honestly believed that she was making her money from hair extensions. She was a very pious girl – she dragged me to church even and that’s not easy."

 

Jessica documented her life of luxury on her social media pages, showing off trips to the Italian Riviera, Hong Kong and New York along with designer clothes, shoes and handbags.

Yesterday, Bala Wadzani Chinda, 25, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court accused of murder and was remanded in custody.

 

It is understood Jessica only returned to Scotland's oil capital from London a couple of weeks ago, having lived and worked there in the past.

 

Gareth was working as a chief mechanic with Atlantic Drilling in Nigeria in 2005 when he met Jessica in a Port Harcourt bar.

"Coincidentally I was being transferred to Lagos and she was going there at the same time so we travelled together. We were married in Nigeria very shortly after that. Her family were there and we celebrated in a hotel restaurant in Lagos. I knew she was using me for a passport to a certain extent but I felt more than that."

Gareth revealed that he, Jessica and their son enjoyed a family Christmas, spending five days at a spa hotel.

"We had our barneys like couples do but I spoke to her every other day. She was with me for 10 years."

They last spoke on Tuesday last week, three days before Jessica was found dead in a flat in Aberdeen’s Union Terrace.

Two days ago, police arrived to break the shattering news to Gareth – and revealed the shocking truth about Jessica’s double life.

He insists he had no suspicion that Jessica was selling sex.

"She liked to be the centre of attention but she wasn’t a girl to put it about – she wasn’t at all like that, never. When I met her I don’t think she’d had more than a handful of lovers in all her life. She wasn’t cheap and liked her Gucci and Armani handbags. She loved the high life and wanted all her dreams to come true tomorrow."

But she was also a pious person who believed in God. I knew what I was walking into but I really cared for the girl.

"To my mind, and hers, we were going to get back together at some point. Not just me, the two of us. I wanted it, she wanted it so why not? But I only ever got half the story. I thought I knew her and it hurts."

Jessica used aliases including Ebony Bianca and Kelly West on escort sites.

She described herself as “classic, stylish, naughty, horny, sexy” and promised the “ultimate girlfriend experience”.

Meg Kirk, who met Jessica while working in the Lapisgold jewellers in Aberdeen’s Union Square shopping centre, said:

"She was polite, lively and we laughed and we talked. She was selling some Brazilian hair extensions and I said I’d like to see them. She said I should call in to see her any time I was passing."

On Wednesday, February 17, Detective Superintendent David McLaren renewed an appeal for anyone who saw or spoke to Jessica in the days before her death to contact his office.