Jurors will hear more psychiatric evidence as the Elianne Andam murder trial resumes at the Old Bailey today (Tuesday, January 7). Hassan Sentamu, 18, is accused of murdering the 15-year-old schoolgirl in Croydon town centre in September 2023. The teenager denies murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to autism and claims he had a lawful reason for carrying a knife.
On Monday, January 6, Professor Nigel Blackwood, a forensic psychiatrist at King’s College London, told jurors Sentamu had felt ‘belittled’ by an incident involving water being thrown at the Whitgift Shopping Centre a day before the stabbing, then spent the night brooding before making the ‘terrible decision’ to bring a knife to meet his ex-girlfriend to hand over her teddy bear.
“He was angered he had done nothing to challenge them. He felt weak,” said Prof Blackwood, adding: “He then made the terrible decision, in my view, to carry a knife, to re-assert dominance, to exact revenge.”
After failing to hand over his ex-girlfriend’s teddy during a pre-arranged meetup in Croydon on September 27 2023, Elianne grabbed a plastic Tesco bag from Sentamu’s hand and he chased her down the street.
Prof Blackwood said: “In my view, he exacted vengeance; he stabbed the victim on four occasions when she ran away from him.”
The professor went on to say he believed Sentamu knew what he was doing was wrong and had concluded the defence of diminished responsibility did not apply.
Dr Sinéad Marriot, a clinical psychologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital, also gave evidence on Sentamu’s autism diagnosis, agreeing that it would make being teased or bullied and the breakdown of a romantic relationship particularly difficult for him. She also agreed giving evidence on diminished responsibility was not her job.
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