Knife-wielding teen who chased down and stabbed ex’s pal, 15, to death in row over teddy bear is jailed for life
A TEEN who chased down and stabbed his ex’s 15-year-old pal to death in a row over a teddy bear has been jailed for murder.
Chilling footage showed Hassan Sentamu – then aged 17 – wielding a knife just moments before he slashed Elianne Andam in the neck.
The schoolgirl had been sticking up for her friend, who had broken up with Sentamu ten days before, when the horror unfolded.
When Elianne grabbed a bag containing her pal’s belongings – including a teddy bear – Sentamu had given chase.
She was heard begging “stop, stop, stop” as the killer plunged the knife 12cm into her neck outside the Whitgift Centre in Croydon, South London.
Sentamu – now aged 18 – has been jailed for life with a minimum of 23 years after being convicted of murder at the Old Bailey.
He had admitted manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility due to his autism.
In a powerful victim impact statement, Elianne’s mum Dorcas Andam said she was the “kindest, most loving daughter”.
She added: “Now the music has stopped, the laughter is gone. All that remains is a deafening silence.”
Addressing Sentamu, the mum told how he ruined her life when he killed her daughter in the most “deliberate”, “senseless” and “evil” way.
Dorcas continued: “The question that forever haunts me is why. .. What did she ever do to deserve such cruelty?”
Elianne’s dad Michael said his daughter’s death had left a a “gaping wound” as he urged the judge to hand down the strongest sentence.
The dad added: “No parent should ever have to bury their child let alone in such a violent manner.
“I could not protect her, that guilt will weigh on my heart for the rest of my life.”
The court heard Sentamu had broken up with his ex over Skype, telling her he was not ready for a relationship.
When she asked for her teddy bear back, he replied: “You can collect your ting on Wednesday before skl I’m gonna need my s*** tho from the clothes to the pillows and flowers.”
He then showed up for the bag exchange with his ex-girlfriend, who was accompanied by Elianne, on September 27, 2023.
She told the court how she realised something was wrong when she noticed the teen was wearing gloves and a mask.
The girl added: “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.”
After handing over a bag of his possessions, the girl demanded Sentamu do the same with her belongings.
At this point, Elianne grabbed the bag in a “gesture of solidarity” as she started running and laughing as a “joke”.
But Sentamu burst into “white hot anger” and whipped out a huge knife that was concealed in his hoodie.
The girl said: “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.”
Sentamu then left Elianne bleeding to death on the ground from a severed artery and fled – dumping the knife nearby.
He was arrested less than 90 minutes later after a police officer stopped a bus near his home in New Addington.
He told police his name was John before being asked to put his hands behind his back.
Sentamu asked: “Why, why, I didn’t do nothing bro.”
While remanded in youth custody, Sentamu chillingly told a fellow inmate who accused him of killing girls: “I’ll do it again. I’ll do it to your mum.”
He later claimed his autism spectrum disorder caused him to lose control when he knifed Elianne.
But prosecutor Alex Chalk KC said there was no evidence his condition had made him lash out in “frenzied murderous violence”.
He added: “[Sentamu] was angry on 27 September, having brooded on the insult and he took the knife to the scene to reassert dominance.
“He exacted vengeance on a young girl clearly running away from him and posing no threat.”
Hundreds of people – including rapper Stormzy – paid tribute to Elianne in a candlelit vigil following her death.
Her mum Dorcas Andam said her daughter was “smart, charismatic” and “loved living life to the fullest”.
The mum added: “She brought joy to so many, including her friendship group.
“She was an amazing, beautiful, girl. She loved and touched lives around her.”