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PC saw blood on thumb of Elianne's killer - court Girl begged killer to stop as he stabbed her
(about 2 hours later)
Elianne Andam, 15, was killed while standing up for a friend, the Old Bailey has heardElianne Andam, 15, was killed while standing up for a friend, the Old Bailey has heard
A police officer has told the Old Bailey how he arrested the killer of 15-year-old Elianne Andam when he saw "a smear of blood on his thumb". Elianne Andam begged a knife-wielding youth to stop as he fatally stabbed her in the neck, jurors have heard.
Hassan Sentamu, then 17, stabbed the schoolgirl outside the Whitgift shopping centre in Croydon, south London, in September last year. Hassan Sentamu, then 17, lashed out at the 15-year-old with a kitchen knife outside a shopping centre in Croydon, south London, after refusing to hand back items belonging to Elianne's friend, with whom he had split up 10 days before.
She was standing up for a friend who had wanted to get back her teddy bear from him, the jury has been told. Mr Sentamu admits killing Elianne but denies murder on the basis his responsibility was diminished due to his autism. When Elianne grabbed a bag of his clothes in solidarity with her friend, Mr Sentamu chased after her, produced a knife and repeatedly stabbed her, the Old Bailey has heard.
PC Peter Nolan told the court he had been at the police station when he heard a young woman had been stabbed, and then went out to look for the suspect. Mr Sentamu admits the manslaughter of Elianne but denies murder on the basis his responsibility was diminished due to his autism.
Watch the moment Elianne is chased by Hassan Sentamu, and later when he is arrestedWatch the moment Elianne is chased by Hassan Sentamu, and later when he is arrested
He told the Old Bailey that when he saw a bus from Croydon he decided to stop it, to see if any passengers matched the description of the assailant. When Elianne collapsed outside the Whitgift Centre, Mr Sentamu fled and dumped the knife nearby, jurors were told.
PC Nolan's body-worn camera captured the exchange as he detained Mr Sentamu. He was arrested within 90 minutes after a police officer stopped a bus near his home in New Addington.
When asked his name, the defendant said he was called John but then handed over his Oyster card with his real identity on it, at which point PC Nolan told him to put his hands behind his back. Mr Sentamu's ex-girlfriend described the events leading up to the attack on her friend, before school on the morning of 27 September 2023.
The officer then called for assistance, telling Mr Sentamu: "You are under arrest on suspicion of GBH, stabbing your girlfriend. Where's the knife? Where's the knife?" In a video interview played in court, she told police she realised something was wrong when Mr Sentamu, now 18, turned up for a planned exchange of their belongings wearing gloves and a mask, which she said was "out of character".
PC Nolan told jurors: "All I knew is that a young girl had been stabbed and the officers were doing what they could to keep her alive. She knew he had an "anger issue" - and likened his demeanour that morning to a character from the London-based crime drama Top Boy.
"One of the officers that turned up said to me the female had sadly passed away and it was now murder." She said: "I thought he was gonna hit me. I thought that he had something on him because... watching shows and stuff like, for example Top Boy, whenever someone's about to get killed they always have on specifically black gloves.
"I've never seen him wear black gloves; it's not cold outside."
Having given him his bag of possessions, she said she then asked for him to return her belongings.
"He looked at me... and rolled his eyes a bit.. and said, 'I don't want to hurt you'... not like in an emotional way... like he's warning me."
She went on: "I was saying 'Where's my teddy [bear]? Where's my teddy? Where's my teddy?"
Mr Sentamu is seen in a CCTV still running with what appears to be a knife
The girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said she was annoyed and wanted to get to school, at which point Elianne grabbed Mr Sentamu's belongings.
She said: "Elianne ran behind him, grabbed the bag and started running and laughing as a joke. It was the type of thing that Elianne would have done.
"At first I was laughing a bit 'cos it was a joke and then I got scared 'cos then Hassan got mad."
She told police: "He then lifted up his hoodie quick, pulled out something and I saw a big knife.
"I turned around for one second then I saw her on the floor like trying to say 'stop', basically with her hand out. He was there like over her, bending.
"I just saw Elianne on the floor, like backing up on the floor with her hand out like this, basically saying 'stop, stop, stop' and I'm pretty sure I saw him bend and like try and do something else, like stab her again."
'Smear of blood'
Before arranging the meeting, the girl said Mr Sentamu had got angry and sworn at her during an argument over the phone.
She said: "I just told him never ever speak to me like that ever again, 'cos I said I've never been spoken to like that in my life.
"I said no man should speak to a girl like that and he said, 'oh well, there's a first time for everything'."
A mural in memory of Elianne was unveiled in Croydon in SeptemberA mural in memory of Elianne was unveiled in Croydon in September
Prosecutor Alex Chalk KC asked the officer what he had noticed about the teenager he had detained. Earlier, PC Peter Nolan gave evidence about the arrest of Mr Sentamu.
Prosecutor Alex Chalk KC asked the officer what he noticed about the teenager he had detained.
PC Nolan replied: "I believed what I saw was a smear of blood on his thumb."PC Nolan replied: "I believed what I saw was a smear of blood on his thumb."
The witness told jurors he then called for evidence bags to put over the handcuffed suspect's hands before he was put in a police van. Mr Sentamu, who was studying sports science at Croydon College, denies both murder and a charge of illegal possession of a knife, claiming he had a "lawful reason" to be carrying it.
'Scene of chaos'
Mr Sentamu, who is now 18, lashed out with a kitchen knife after refusing to hand back items belonging to Elianne's friend, with whom he had split up 10 days before.
He dumped the weapon nearby and took a bus towards his home in New Addington, the Old Bailey has been told.
Jurors have been shown CCTV footage of the incident in which Elianne was stabbed and images of the defendant running away.
Earlier, another Met Police officer, PC Alex Smith, described to the Old Bailey the "scene of chaos" when he arrived outside the Whitgift Centre, on the morning of 27 September 2023.
He told jurors: "There were people screaming, shouting, people running away. I knew a serious incident had occurred."
Despite the efforts of members of the public and the police, Elianne - who had been stabbed in the neck - was pronounced dead at the scene.
Mr Sentamu, who was studying sports science at Croydon College, has admitted manslaughter but denies Elianne's murder on the basis of having had a "loss of control" due to his autism.
He also denies a charge of being in illegal possession of a knife, claiming he had a "lawful reason" to be carrying it.
The trial continues.The trial continues.
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