A teenage girl was stabbed to death when she stood up for her friend over a fluffy teddy bear.
Elianne Andam was chased down the street and cornered by her pal’s ex-boyfriend who then knifed her repeatedly before running away, leaving the 15-year-old girl dying in the street. The teenage girl had been “aggrieved” on her friend’s behalf and decided to act after Hassan Sentamu, then 17, failed to return the teddy after the pair broke up.
The court heard that on the day the exes were due to hand over the remnants of their relationship, Elianne’s friend brought a bag of things for Sentamu, but he turned up empty handed. In response, Elianne grabbed the plastic bag and ran. During the trial Prosecutor Alex Chalk KC told jurors at the Old Bailey: “It was a gesture of solidarity… that cost Elianne her life. The defendant chased after her, cornered her, and used the kitchen knife to stab her repeatedly.
“He drove the knife 12cm deep into her neck severing the carotid artery and causing injuries that were unsurvivable. Despite the rapid arrival of the emergency services and intensive efforts over the course of nearly an hour, Elianne died at the scene.”
Today, Sentamu, able to be named when he turned 18, was found guilty of her murder and is now facing life behind bars.
Elianne Andam was on her way to school when she was attacked
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Metropolitan Police)
Elianne was standing up for a friend
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PA)
The court had heard Elianne’s friend – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was “anxious to recover her teddy bear” after breaking up with Sentamu 10 days earlier. They planned to exchange belongings in Croydon, south London, but Sentamu turned up empty handed. He launched the “dreadful attack” after reaching “the end of his short fuse”, the court was told.
CCTV captured Sentamu fleeing the scene at 8.30am on September 27, 2023 and disposing of the knife, the court was told. He said: “The defendant admits, in the face of overwhelming evidence you may feel, that he wielded the knife and caused Elianne’s death. What he claims is that he has a defence to murder on the basis that he has autism diagnosed in 2020 and that his responsibility for his actions is thereby diminished. Accordingly, he has only pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter.”
Hassan Sentamu was arrested shortly after the attack
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Addressing jurors, Mr Chalk said: “We will be submitting to you that whatever impact his autism had – and it may well have had some – it is nowhere near sufficient as a matter of law, medicine or of common sense to clear him of murder. Having heard the evidence you may feel that the catalyst for this dreadful attack was rather more simple: anger. White-hot anger at having been disrespected in public by girls, both by Elianne on the day of the killing and previously.
Graphic footage from passing buses was shown to the jury. In a series of clips, Elianne can be seen “falling to the floor and trying to get away from Sentamu”, the court was told. Mr Chalk said Elianne can be seen “on her knees, with her hands towards another person. That person is Hassan”. He said: “Elianne struggled to her feet. Hassan is seen running away from the scene and in his right hand is an object. That’s the kitchen knife.”
Elianne Andam was stabbed to death
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Metropolitan Police/PA)
Sentamu’s defence counsel Pavlos Panayi KC said the youngster, from New Addington, south London, had endured a “brutal violent upbringing”. He said he had been subjected to “nasty bullying” by Sentamu’s ex-girlfriend and her friends at the Whitgift Shopping Centre on the day before the stabbing.
Speaking after today’s verdict, Det Chief Insp Becky Woodsford said Elianne had ambitions to become a human rights lawyer and was killed standing up for her friend and “doing what she thought was right”.
DCI Woodsford praised the bravery of Elianne’s friends and family as well as members of the public who tried to save the schoolgirl. Despite reeling from shock at the killing in a busy street, the whole community pulled together and helped police bring Elianne’s killer to justice, she said.
Paying tribute to Elianne, the Metropolitan Police officer, who led the murder investigation, said: “What has really stuck with me is that Elianne always did what she thought was right and stood up for her friend. We heard from her family during the course of this investigation that Elianne wanted to be a human rights lawyer. She was very passionate about singing and dancing. She was passionate about her church as well.”
Two women a week killed in UK by current or former partner
For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk
If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy.
For more info visit www.aafda.org.uk