‘Evil’ double murderer jailed for fatal stabbing of pregnant girlfriend

An “evil” double murderer who stabbed and slashed his pregnant girlfriend 23 times after being released from prison on licence has been jailed for at least 42 years.

Alana Odysseos, 32, was in the early stages of pregnancy with her third child when she was murdered by “lifer” Shaine March at her home in Walthamstow, east London, early on July 22 2024.

March, 47, of Surrey Quays, south-east London, had admitted her murder on the seventh day of his trial after an expert no longer supported his claim of diminished responsibility.

Jurors in his trial were not told that March had been convicted of murder before.

March was aged 21 when he fatally stabbed 17-year-old Andre Drummond in the neck at a McDonald’s restaurant in Denmark Hill, south London, in January 2000.

Following his release on a life licence in early 2013, he was recalled to jail later that year after he stamped on the stomach of another pregnant girlfriend in July and was released again in February 2018.

March also had convictions for assault and criminal damage in 1995.

The court was told Ms Odysseos knew about March’s murder conviction and safeguarding checks had been made by probation services.

But when the defendant said their relationship had ended amicably, no further checks were made.

Hours before killing Ms Odysseos, March had argued with her about whether to abort their unborn child, with the victim heard to say: “I don’t want to kill my baby.”

On Friday, Mr Justice Murray jailed March for life with a minimum term of 42 years.

The senior judge rejected calls from Ms Odysseos’s family and the prosecution for a whole life order but noted that, given his age, March may never be released.

March had appeared in court by videolink from Belmarsh prison, having initially refused to come to the Old Bailey.

He made no reaction as members of Ms Odysseos’s family told of the devastating impact of her murder.

Mother Karen Cronin said: “Alana, my beautiful kind and loving daughter, left this earth in the most callous and brutal way imaginable.

“The person who has done this to my daughter – who I don’t think deserves the respect of using his name – is evil and a coward. Why did he have to resort to the level of violence he used?

“The anger I feel towards him doesn’t feel Christian so I can no longer go to Church. I will never have forgiveness in my heart.”

“I want him to die in prison. He should never be let out.”

Father Alan Yates said his daughter was a “happy-go-lucky” much-loved mother who was “kind and considerate”, and would stick up for what she believed in.

He said something changed after she met March and she became a “timid vulnerable person who was not our Alana”.

He said: “I hope a sentence is given that means Shaine March will never cause another family the pain and loss we are suffering. It is unimaginable and we will never get over our loss.

“Every day I wonder why he didn’t walk away. Alana was pregnant with his child. This meant nothing to him.”

The court heard statements from her three sisters, including Lorraine Schofield who said March was a “monster” and “evil, disgusting coward”.

She told the court: “All Alana wanted was to be loved. The baby she so desperately wanted to protect that night was taken away.”

Sister Jasmine Yates told March: “You took more than one life that night. You took Alana, you took the baby she was carrying, the child she was excited about.

“I fear if you are ever released you will kill again.”

Prosecutor Louise Oakley argued for a whole life order – meaning Marsh would never be released – given the “exceptionally high” level of offending.

Speaking outside court, Ms Odysseos’s father said of the sentence: “I’m very pleased. He will be 90 before he is released. I wish it had been a life order but I’m glad he got 42 years at least.”

Asked if the probation service could have done more, Mr Yates told reporters they were “stupid” to led March out of prison at all.

And if his daughter had been told he attacked a previous pregnant girlfriend, he doubted she would have had anything to do with him.

He added: “They need to bring a harder punishment for all these attacks going on. And women they (are) really get attacked every day and something needs to be done.”

Ms Odysseos’s mother told reporters that “justice has been served”.

Ms Cronin said: “We were initially hoping for a lifelong sentence but I have to say we are pleased with the outcome – 42 years.

“Nothing will bring my daughter back. But he will not be able to do this to anyone else, he will never be able to hurt anybody else again.”

Previously the court had heard how police were alerted by members of the public in Lynmouth Road who found Ms Odysseos outside her home wearing a nightie and dressing gown and clutching her right side.

Bleeding from multiple stab wounds to her body, she pointed at the defendant standing nearby and shouted: “Shaine stabbed me, he stabbed me. Help, help.”

March walked away as Ms Odysseos died on the ground outside her address despite the efforts of police and paramedics, jurors heard.

She had suffered stab wounds to her chest, stomach, pelvis, shoulders, buttocks, right arm, thighs and lower legs.

Before throwing his mobile phone in a drain, March recorded a voice note saying: “Mum, I just killed a woman, and I’m going back to jail.”

At 4.41am, staff at Creams Cafe in Walthamstow called 999 to report finding a man covered in blood who told them he had killed his wife and child.

Following his arrest, March told police: “I did it. I killed her Alana Odysseos. I killed her hahahaha.”

As he was put into a police van, he went on to asked to be put in jail “where I belong”, saying he was “scum” and deserved it.

The defendant later told a prison officer that he “saw red” and stabbed his girlfriend with a knife from the kitchen after arguing about a pair of his trainers.

While in handcuffs and accompanied by two officers, March kicked the head of a fellow detainee, knocking three of his teeth out, the court had heard.

Samantha Yelland, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Shaine March committed an unimaginable crime when he made the conscious decision to take away the life of his pregnant partner and her defenceless baby.

“His previous offending revealed a worrying pattern of emotional and physical abuse, and he showed no remorse when he was being arrested on suspicion of Alana’s murder.

“March tried to suggest that he had available to him the partial defence of diminished responsibility – but we were determined to ensure he faced the full force of the law after the monstrous crimes he had committed.”