UK - Elianne Andam, 15, stabbed to death in Croydon, London. Teenage boy arrested

[Luwin]

Elianne Andam: Family say funeral will be 'a celebration of her life'

Speaking to the BBC before Elianne's funeral, they said she will "forever remain in our hearts".

www.bbc.com

The aunts said they never expected such a tragedy would happen to them, or that moments after Elianne said goodbye and set off for school she would be dead.
"That is the bit I cannot get out of my head," Ms Boafo said.
"She is very calm, she was the last person I would ever think someone would harm her with a knife," Ms Paintsil said.
She stressed Elianne didn't mix with "the wrong people" and the aunts said she would keep in touch with family if she went out to the cinema or a restaurant.

Speaking about the day Elianne was killed, Ms Boafo said after waking she saw her phone had been called "many times" and when she found out her niece had died she was "really destroyed, broken".
Since her niece's death, Ms Boafo said she hasn't been able to work and rarely leaves the house. She has moved in with her sister - Elianne's mother - to help support her.

 

[bobbymkii]

 

[Alyce]

Media article from October 4, 2023


teenager charged with the murder of Croydon schoolgirl Elianne Andam .......

Judge Mark Lucraft KC told the defendant he was remanding him into youth custody until a plea and trial preparation hearing on December 19 – which the defendant can attend via video link.

He set a provisional trial date for April 29 next year.

Judge Lucraft said the case would be heard most likely before Judge Richard Marks KC.

Alison Morgan KC, for the Crown, read a brief summary of the prosecution’s case to the court.
( full details of this at the link )

Teenager is to stand trial for murder at Old Bailey next April

Prosecution provides court with first detailed account of events that led to brutal killing of 15-year-old schoolgirl The teenager charged with the murder of Croydon schoolgirl Elianne Andam will s…

insidecroydon.com

 

[bobbymkii]

Elianne Andam: Teenager accused of killing schoolgirl to enter plea next week

A candlelit vigil in Croydon last year was attended by thousands of mourners including rapper Stormzy

www.voice-online.co.uk

 

[CocktailQueen]

Elianne Andam: Boy admits killing schoolgirl at Croydon bus stop Elianne Andam: Boy admits killing schoolgirl at Croydon bus stop

Denies murder and denies possessing a blade in a public place but admits to killing her.

 

[Sjöberg]

Elianne Andam: Boy admits killing schoolgirl at Croydon bus stop Elianne Andam: Boy admits killing schoolgirl at Croydon bus stop

Denies murder and denies possessing a blade in a public place but admits to killing her.

I can understand trying to deny the murder charges, but how is denying possessing a blade going to work, especially as he did admit to killing. He killed her, the cause of death was stabbing, so how could he kill her without possessing a blade? Like claiming he just found a random blade being next to him in that moment? What would be the point, considering killing charges carry a greater sentence? Trying to get out of "premeditation" and maybe thus the murder charges?

 

[bobbymkii]

I can understand trying to deny the murder charges, but how is denying possessing a blade going to work, especially as he did admit to killing. He killed her, the cause of death was stabbing, so how could he kill her without possessing a blade? Like claiming he just found a random blade being next to him in that moment? What would be the point, considering killing charges carry a greater sentence? Trying to get out of "premeditation" and maybe thus the murder charges?

JMO. If I was to take a punt using my guerilla knowledge of criminal law in England & Wales, I would say the reason is that the charge doesn't merely relate to possession of a bladed article alone in order to be guilty of this charge:
A) the prosecution also need to prove there was intent for the article to be used to harm another
B) if he admitted this intent element, he would be effectively admitting to murder as well

Offensive Weapons, Knives, Bladed and Pointed Articles | The Crown Prosecution Service

www.cps.gov.uk

 

[CocktailQueen]

I can understand trying to deny the murder charges, but how is denying possessing a blade going to work, especially as he did admit to killing. He killed her, the cause of death was stabbing, so how could he kill her without possessing a blade? Like claiming he just found a random blade being next to him in that moment? What would be the point, considering killing charges carry a greater sentence? Trying to get out of "premeditation" and maybe thus the murder charges?

I was trying to work that out too. Maybe he will claim someone else brought the knife?

 

[Skigh]

I was trying to work that out too. Maybe he will claim someone else brought the knife?

That is what I was wondering too. I hope there are witnesses who can say where the knife came from.

 

[bobbymkii]

I was trying to work that out too. Maybe he will claim someone else brought the knife?

I don't think I'll ever fully understand why some murder cases where weapons are used include a weapons charge and some don't.

In the Brianna Ghey case for example neither of the defendants were given a weapons charge in addition to murder even though Brianna was stabbed 28 times!

 

[Alyce]

The plea was not accepted by prosecutors and a trial is set to take place in November at the same court.

Elianne Andam: Boy admits killing schoolgirl at Croydon bus stop

Elianne Andam, 15, was stabbed as she made her way to school in south London in September.

www.bbc.co.uk