The defence will finish their closing speech in the Elianne Andam trial ahead of the judge summing up all the evidence. Hassan Sentamu, 18, is accused of murdering the 15-year-old schoolgirl in Croydon town centre in September 2023, but denies the charge on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to autism.
Last week prosecutor Alex Chalk KC gave his closing speech, telling the jury the defence case is built on ‘flimsy evidence’ and that Sentamu’s decision to stab Elianne to death was ‘his decision alone’ and not due to his autism. “There is not a shred of evidence that autism causes explosive violence,” added Mr Chalk.
Defence counsel Pavlos Panayi KC then began his closing speech, telling the jury about Sentamu’s ‘brutal violent upbringing’ and the ‘nasty bullying’ by Sentamu’s ex-girlfriend and her friends at the Whitgift Shopping Centre on the day before the stabbing. Mr Panayi finished last Friday by telling the court he would address the issue of premeditation on Monday.
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