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Boy, 17, is charged with murder of schoolgirl Elianne Andam

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2pm UPDATE: The Metropolitan Police has charged a 17-year-old boy with the murder in Croydon of Elianne Andam on Wednesday.

Murder victim: Elianne Andam was on her way to school when she was killed

The teenager, who cannot be named because he is under 18, appeared at youth court, sitting at Croydon Magistrates’ Court, this morning.

The police yesterday recovered what is believed to be the murder weapon, a large-bladed knife, about a mile from the scene of the attack, on Cedar Road, Addiscombe. Some reports describe the weapon as a “Zombie knife”, with a foot-long serrated blade.

The boy has also been charged with possession of a knife.

The suspect was arrested in New Addington around 75 minutes after the incident.

In court this morning, lawyers acting for the boy said he had not indicated how he would plead to the charges.

He was remanded in youth detention and is due to appear at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.

Elianne Andam, 15, had just got off a bus with some friends on their way to school on Wednesday morning when the attack took place.

Reports suggest that there had been an argument on the bus between the boy and one of Elianne’s friends. The stabbing is said to have happened shortly after the group got off the No60 at the Whitgift Centre bus stop.

Vigil: members of the public laid flowers at the scene yesterday

When another girl rejected the offer of a bunch of flowers from the boy, Elianne was said to have intervened. It was then that the boy pulled out the knife, stabbing Elianne in the neck and chest.

Despite the efforts of the bus driver and a passenger, and emergency services who were at the scene within two minutes, Elianne died a few minutes later.

She is the 15th teenaged Londoner to be murdered on the streets of the capital this year.

The police say that her family “continue to be supported by specially trained officers”.

Some attended a vigil at the now flower-strewn scene yesterday evening accompanied by the Bishop of Croydon, Dr Rosemarie Mallett.

In interviews with London television news reporters, Rishi Sunak said he was shocked and appalled at Elianne’s death and that sentences for knife-related crimes should be toughened.

“Everyone will be looking at that and be shocked as I am, appalled by what’s happened and, quite frankly, angry.

“It just illustrates the importance of clamping down on knife crime,” Sunak said.

UPDATED at 2pm to include details of the accused’s non-plea in court.


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