Shaine March, 47, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 42 years for the murder of his pregnant girlfriend, Alana Odysseos, at her home in Walthamstow, east London, on 22 July 2024. The 32-year-old mother of two was stabbed multiple times and died at the scene.
March, of Surrey Quays, south-east London, admitted murder on the seventh day of his trial after an expert no longer supported his claim of diminished responsibility. The court heard that hours before the killing, March argued with Odysseos about aborting their unborn child, with the victim heard to say: 'I don’t want to kill my baby.'
Odysseos was among the women included in the Guardian's Killed women count, highlighting femicide in the UK. She was described as a 'brilliant mother' who 'completely doted' on her daughters. Her mother, Karen Cronin, said: 'Alana, my beautiful kind and loving daughter, left this earth in the most callous and brutal way imaginable.'
Jurors were not told that March had a previous murder conviction: he fatally stabbed 17-year-old Andre Drummond in 2000. Released on life licence in 2013, he was recalled later that year for stamping on the stomach of another pregnant girlfriend. He was released again in 2018. The court heard that Odysseos knew of his murder conviction, and probation services had made safeguarding checks, but no further action was taken after March said the relationship had ended amicably.
Sentencing, Mr Justice Murray rejected calls for a whole-life order but noted that, given his age, March may never be released. Prosecutor Louise Oakley had argued for a whole-life order due to the 'exceptionally high' level of offending. DI Aytac Necati said March was unhappy with the pregnancy, leading to escalation in controlling and coercive behaviour.
