Man pleads guilty to murdering pregnant girlfriend

Mother-of-two Alana Odysseos, 32, died after she was stabbed 19 times

A man has pleaded guilty to murdering his pregnant girlfriend after previously denying the offence.

Alana Odysseos, 32, who grew up in Newmarket, Suffolk, was stabbed 19 times and died outside her flat in Walthamstow, east London, in the early hours of 22 July 2024.

Shaine March, 47, of Surrey Quays, south-east London, previously admitted manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility and pleaded not guilty to murder at the start of the trial at the Old Bailey.

Mr Justice Murray, the trial judge, said March's sentencing was scheduled to take place on 31 October at the Old Bailey.

During legal arguments on Thursday, the court heard the defence's expert witness conclude diminished responsibility was no longer available as a defence to March after reviewing CCTV evidence and bodycam footage.

While the expert witness report was discussed in court on Friday there was an outburst of shouting and swearing from March, directed at times towards the family of Ms Odysseos, before he was removed.

After consulting with his defence counsel, Sandip Patel KC, March returned to the dock a few hours later and pleaded guilty to the murder of Ms Odysseos.

Shouts of relief

Prosecutor Louise Oakley said the Crown would be suggesting that a whole-life order be considered due to the seriousness of the offence.

She added that on 17 July 2000, March was "convicted of murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment".

March was 21 when he fatally stabbed Andre Drummond in the neck outside a McDonald's and was on licence for life when he killed Ms Odysseos.

After March changed his plea, shouts of relief could be heard in the court from the family of Ms Odysseos.

Ms Odysseos grew up in Newmarket where she "always stood her own", according to her father Alan Yates, who gave evidence earlier in the trial.

Mr Yates previously told the court that he would speak with his daughter at least once, often twice, a day and "she always wanted to be a mother. Motherhood was her greatest aspiration in life."

Mr Justice Murray thanked the jurors for their work before discharging them, adding: "There have been some difficult moments in this trial and you have been diligent and focused."