Adedapo Adegbola jailed for life in UK for murdering 23-year-old student Steph Irons in Nottingham following a relationship breakup

A Nottingham Crown Court in the UK has sentenced 40-year-old Adedapo Adegbola to life imprisonment for the murder of his former girlfriend, 23-year-old university student Steph Irons, at her Mapperley home on October 21, 2025.

Also read: Nigerian Man Arrested in Thailand for Drug Crimes

The court heard that the couple had a brief relationship after meeting at work, which ended before the tragic attack.

Prosecutors revealed that Adegbola became obsessed with Irons, ordering two knives online and travelling to her home, where he attacked her as she stepped outside to take out the trash. He then forced his way into her house, stabbing her multiple times.

Police were alerted after Irons’ colleagues received alarming messages from her phone. Officers discovered her body in the living room, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

After the killing, Adegbola fled, discarding bloodstained clothing and evidence along streets in Mapperley and Carlton. He moved through Mansfield, Worksop, Sheffield, and Hull before eventually surrendering.

The judge imposed a life sentence with a minimum term of 25 years.

Detective Inspector Stuart Barson described Irons as a “kind and compassionate young woman” whose life was ended under “terrifying circumstances,” noting that Adegbola made no attempt to seek help and fled instead.

Also read: Nigerian Man Sentenced in Malaysia

In a victim impact statement, Irons’ mother expressed the family’s devastation, highlighting her daughter’s aspirations to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology and remembering her as loving, caring, and full of promise.