Friend recalls Rosie Ross killing in Birmingham

A friend of a schoolgirl stabbed to death in Birmingham city centre has described the "nightmare" ordeal, nearly 10 years after the attack.

Rosie Ross, 16, was stabbed by a man with schizophrenia in an unprovoked attack in May 2001.

Her friend Sarah Elstob, who had been shopping with her that day, described how they had both seen Rosie's killer minutes before the attack.

Inderjit Kainth was detained indefinitely for the killing.

Although he denied murder, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter due to diminished responsibility in court in December 2001.

Miss Elstob said she and Rosie had both been in the same house at Aldridge School, where they had met in Year 8.

Rosie had been due to sit her GCSEs and had applied to study fashion and design at college.

Miss Elstob said that on the day of the attack, they had been shopping together in the city centre when they were approached by Kainth.

'Heard footsteps'

Miss Elstob said: "It was a very hot day when it happened. We got some lunch and walked towards Centenary Square."

"BRMB radio station was there and that's why originally we stopped there and Rosie bathed her feet in the fountain."

Rosie Ross had been due to sit her GCSEs and had applied to study fashion and design at college

She said they both carried on walking up to Centenary Square and Rosie climbed a wall and lay down on it.

Miss Elstob said she stayed below to text another friend and Rosie told her she could "sunbathe here all day".

She said they both stayed there for about five to 10 minutes when she first noticed Kainth.

Miss Elstob said: "He was looking at his watch and I remember him getting very impatient and I remember thinking he was meeting somebody.

"I can remember hearing footsteps and seeing black."

'Danger zone'

When she turned around, Miss Elstob said all she could see was a black bin bag, which Kainth had used to conceal his weapon.

"It was just as if we had walked into a danger zone, the wrong time, the wrong place," she added.

Miss Elstob said she saw him run off and thought at first he had just stolen Rosie's bag.

However, seconds later when she saw her friend staggering around she said she knew something more serious had happened.

Rosie lost consciousness in the attack and died later in hospital.

Miss Elstob said: "If Rosie had known at the actual time what was happening, and realised that this man was mentally ill, she would have tried her utmost to talk him round and try and reassure him that everything isn't bad in the world, because Rosie saw good in everybody.

"That's the way she lived her life - carefree.

"I wish everybody could be like that."