A UK court has sentenced 40-year-old Adedapo Adegbola to life imprisonment for the murder of his former girlfriend, 23-year-old university student Steph Irons, in Nottingham, England.
Nottingham Crown Court handed down the sentence after Adegbola admitted killing Irons at her home in Mapperley on October 21, 2025, following the breakdown of their brief relationship. The court heard that the couple met at work and dated for a short period before parting ways.
Prosecutors revealed that Adegbola became obsessed with Irons after their breakup. He reportedly purchased two knives online and traveled by taxi to her residence, attacking her as she stepped outside to take out the trash before forcing his way into the house and stabbing her multiple times.
The alarm was raised when Irons’ colleagues received disturbing messages from her phone. Police later discovered her body in the living room, where she was pronounced dead.
Following the attack, Adegbola allegedly fled, discarding bloodstained clothing and other evidence in Mapperley and Carlton. Nottinghamshire Police said he traveled through Mansfield, Worksop, Sheffield, and Hull before eventually surrendering. Although he declined to speak during questioning, investigators were able to reconstruct his movements surrounding the crime.
The judge sentenced Adegbola to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 25 years.
Detective Inspector Stuart Barson, who led the investigation, described Irons as a “kind and compassionate young woman” whose life was tragically cut short. He noted that Adegbola made no effort to seek help for her, choosing instead to flee and dispose of evidence.
In a victim impact statement, Irons’ mother said her daughter’s death left the family devastated. She described the slain student, who had aspired to earn a doctorate in clinical psychology, as loving, caring, and full of promise.
