The prosecution and defence are set to give their closing speeches in the Elianne Andam murder trial from today (Friday, January 10) after jurors heard four days of psychiatric evidence. Hassan Sentamu, 18, is accused of murdering the 15-year-old schoolgirl in Croydon town centre in September 2023. The teenager denies murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to autism.
On Thursday, January 9, under cross-examination from prosecutor Alex Chalk KC, Professor Seena Fazel, a forensic psychiatrist at Oxford University, told jurors it was a ‘fair statement’ to say there is no evidence that ‘an autistic brand of response, a failure to regulate their emotions, is an act of savage explosive violence’.
The professor also agreed wearing three layers of clothes and gloves demonstrated ‘organisation’ by Sentamu ahead of killing Elianne, but questioned how ‘controlled’ he was by disposing of the knife in a public bin. Professor Fazel also said he preferred the word ‘purposeful’ when describing how Sentamu claimed ‘I haven’t done anything’ and gave false name to arresting police officers.
Mr Chalk also suggested it was ‘Conduct Disorder wot done it’, but Professor Fazel disagreed with the diagnosis, telling the jury he would not described Sentamu as a ‘hot head’, rather someone with ‘personality difficulties’.
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