A UK-based Nigerian, Adedapo Adegbola, has pleaded guilty to the murder of his former girlfriend, a British national, following a fatal stabbing in Nottingham.
Adegbola, 40, admitted before the Nottingham Crown Court on Monday to killing Steph Irons, whom he met while they were both working together before their relationship turned romantic.
The court heard that the relationship later ended, after which Adegbola visited Irons at her residence on Westdale Lane West, Mapperley, on October 21, 2025, where the fatal incident occurred.
Investigators said the circumstances surrounding the attack remain unclear, as Adegbola declined to give a statement to the police following his arrest.
Detectives told the court that after the incident, Adegbola made no effort to seek medical help for Irons and instead fled the scene, leaving behind items that were later linked to him.
Detective Inspector Stuart Barson said Adegbola was focused on evading arrest and attempting to dispose of evidence rather than assisting the victim.
Irons was discovered in the living room of her apartment at about 10pm, and paramedics pronounced her dead shortly after arriving at the scene.
Although Adegbola later presented himself at Oxclose Police Station, police said he refused to cooperate with investigators during questioning.
According to Barson, the weight of evidence, including forensic findings, CCTV footage and witness accounts, left the defendant with no option but to admit guilt.
Adegbola formally entered a guilty plea on Monday and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 5.
The police said Irons, who held undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in clinical psychology, was in the process of applying for a doctorate before her death.
Barson extended condolences to the victim’s family, expressing hope that the court proceedings would bring some measure of closure after the loss.
