Girl, 15, stabbed to death on bus after fight over ‘handing back teddy bear’

A teenager stabbed his ex’s friend to death in a row over a teddy bear, a court has heard.

Elianne Andam, 15, was killed during a meeting in Croydon town centre to hand over belongings following the break-up, the Old Bailey was told.

Jurors heard that Hassan Sentamu, 18, lashed out when Elianne tried to take back a bag he had been given as part of the swap after he arrived empty-handed.

Sentamu has admitted manslaughter but denied murder on the basis of ‘loss of control’ because he has autism.

Prosecutor Alex Chalk KC told the court today: ‘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.’

The defendant, aged 17 at the time, travelled from New Addington, south London, to the Whitgift Centre with the knife on September 27, jurors heard.

He had split up with his ex-girlfriend, who cannot be named for legal reasons, around 10 days before.

Mr Chalk told the jury: ‘The purpose of the meeting was to exchange belongings. [The ex-girlfriend] in particular was anxious to recover her teddy bear.’

When Sentamu turned up without her belongings, Mr Chalk said Elianne was ‘aggrieved on her friend’s behalf’.

He continued: ‘So, at around 8.30am whilst Hassan was walking outside the Whitgift Centre, Elianne took the plastic bag back.

‘It was a gesture of solidarity with (her friend) 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 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.’

Sentamu also denies having a blade claiming he had a ‘lawful reason’ for carrying it.

The Old Bailey trial before Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb continues.

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