A UK court has sentenced a 40-year-old man to life in prison for the murder of his former girlfriend, a 23-year-old university student, in Nottingham, England.
Adedapo Adegbola was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court after pleading guilty to killing Steph Irons at her home in the Mapperley area on Oct. 21, 2025, following the breakdown of their brief relationship.
Prosecutors said the pair met while working together and dated for a short period before separating. After the breakup, Adegbola became obsessed with Irons, the court heard. He ordered two knives online, took a taxi to her home and attacked her as she stepped outside to take out the trash. He then forced his way inside and stabbed her repeatedly.
Concern was raised when Irons’ colleagues received distressing messages from her phone. Police later found her body in the living room, where she was pronounced dead.
After the killing, Adegbola fled, discarding bloodstained clothing and other items along streets in Mapperley and Carlton, according to Nottinghamshire Police. Investigators said he traveled through Mansfield, Worksop, Sheffield and Hull before eventually surrendering. He declined to answer questions during police interviews, but officers were able to reconstruct his movements before and after the attack.
The judge imposed a life sentence with a minimum term of 25 years.
Detective Inspector Stuart Barson, the lead investigator, described Irons as a “kind and compassionate young woman” whose life was taken in “terrifying circumstances.” He said Adegbola made no attempt to seek medical help for her and instead fled and tried to dispose of evidence.
In a victim impact statement, Irons’ mother said the killing had devastated the family. Relatives described Irons, who hoped to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology, as loving, caring and full of promise.
