A police officer has told the court how he arrested 18-year-old Hassan Sentamu, who is accused of killing 15-year-old Elianne Andam, after noticing “a smear of blood on his thumb.” Sentamu fatally stabbed Elianne outside the Whitgift shopping centre in Croydon, London, in September 2023.
Elianne had stepped in to support a friend trying to retrieve her teddy bear from Sentamu. The defendant admits to the killing but denies murder, claiming his autism diminished his responsibility at the time of the attack.
PC Peter Nolan, who had been at the police station when the stabbing was reported, began searching for the suspect. He stopped a bus from Croydon, where he saw Sentamu and detained him after he initially gave a false name. When asked about the knife, Sentamu was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm (GBH).
“I believed what I saw was a smear of blood on his thumb,” PC Nolan testified in court. The officer immediately secured Sentamu’s hands with evidence bags before he was taken into custody.
The fatal attack occurred after Sentamu refused to return belongings to Elianne’s friend. He then stabbed Elianne in the neck before fleeing the scene. Despite efforts from the public and police, Elianne was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sentamu has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murder, citing “loss of control” due to his autism. He also denies illegally possessing a knife, claiming he had a “lawful reason” to carry it.