'Elianne was backing up saying, stop, stop, stop...I saw him stab her again'

ELIANNE Andam begged a youth "stop, stop, stop" as he stabbed her in the neck during a row over a teddy bear, murder trial jurors were told.

- Emily Pennink

Hassan Sentamu struck the 15-year-old with a kitchen knife as he refused to return items owned by her friend who he had just split from, the Old Bailey heard.

When Elianne grabbed a bag of his clothes in solidarity with the girl, Sentamu chased after her in South London and repeatedly stabbed her, the jury was told.

As she collapsed by Croydon's Whitgift Centre, Sentamu - then 17 - fled and dumped the knife nearby, jurors were told.

He was arrested soon after when police stopped a bus near his home in New Addington.

Sentamu, who was studying sports science, admits manslaughter but denies murder, on the basis of "loss of control" as he has autism.

He also claims he had a "lawful reason" for carrying the knife in September 2023.

In a video interview played in court yesterday, his ex-girlfriend said she realised that something was wrong when he turned up to swan belongings in a mask and gloves.