Double assassin jailed for stabbing pregnant girlfriend

[ad_1] A person who murdered his pregnant girlfriend whereas on licence for a earlier homicide conviction has been sentenced to life with a minimal time period of 42 years.

Alana Odysseos, 32, grew up in Suffolk and was about eight weeks pregnant when she died outdoors her flat in Walthamstow, east London, after being stabbed 19 occasions with a kitchen knife on 22 July 2024.

Shaine March, 47, of Surrey Quays, south-east London, initially admitted manslaughter on the premise of diminished accountability and denied homicide, however pleaded responsible partway via the trial.

When sentencing March earlier on the Outdated Bailey, decide Mr Justice Murray stated he could by no means be launched "given his age" and the size of the minimal time period.

"I'm certain you meant to kill her," Mr Justice Murray instructed March, who appeared by way of video hyperlink from HMP Belmarsh having refused to attend the sentencing listening to in individual.

<img alt="Alana Odysseos is taking a selfie wearing gold hoop earrings and an orange, white, grey and black patterned sleeveless top. She is sitting on a grey sofa." loading="lazy" width="960" height="540" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YibxdVmNlTuz0B.X32kWPQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/bbc_us_articles_995/c8710f7b31eac73c88926e8033ccb9c0"/> Mom-of-two Alana Odysseos, 32, died after she was stabbed 19 occasions [Family Handout/PA]

The courtroom heard Ms Odysseos was in a tumultuous relationship with March for 4 months earlier than she was killed, throughout which neighbours heard fixed arguments however no outward indicators of violence.

The probation service in London had organized for safeguarding checks to be performed, however when March instructed them the connection between him and Ms Odysseos had ended amicably no additional motion was taken.

March was 21 when he fatally stabbed Andre Drummond, 17, via the neck and was convicted of homicide and sentenced to life imprisonment in July 2000.

He was launched in early 2013 and recalled to jail later that 12 months after he was convicted of assaulting his then-pregnant girlfriend and was launched once more in February 2018.

Jasmine Yates, Ms Odysseos' sister, instructed the courtroom she had seen her sister's psychological well being had turn into "erratic" and had tried to encourage her to go away March when he made her delete all male contacts from her cellphone.

Ms Yates added that whereas March promised Ms Odysseos he would go to remedy and alter, he additionally left her sister voice notes telling her to get an abortion.

Ms Odysseos confided in a good friend that she was frightened after March had smashed a glass in her face, the courtroom heard.

In a sufferer influence assertion, Ms Yates stated she instructed her sister: "If he can glass you, he can kill you. I'm haunted by these phrases and what occurred after."

Karen Cronin, Ms Odysseos' mom, instructed the courtroom: "I used to like going to church and singing within the choir, however the anger I really feel in direction of [March] does not really feel Christian so I not go to church.

"I need him to die in jail with no hope of doing this to anyone else."

Through the trial, the courtroom was proven CCTV footage of March as he walked away from Ms Odysseos' flat after attacking her and disposing of proof together with cellphones and clothes.

Police recovered March's cellphone from a drain and located a voice be aware he recorded simply after 03:00 BST that stated: "Mum I simply killed a girl and I am going again to jail."

CCTV and police bodycam footage from March's arrest confirmed him repeatedly admit to killing and stabbing Ms Odysseos.

He additionally referred to himself as "scum" who deserved to be put in jail.

Whereas March was in custody at Barking Police Station in London, he stated: "I stabbed her a number of occasions with an extended kitchen knife.

"I feel the final stabbing was by the again of her shoulder blade, in all probability puncturing her coronary heart."

Forensic pathologist Dr Matt Cieka instructed the courtroom the autopsy evaluation confirmed that Ms Odysseos was stabbed within the coronary heart from behind.