A homeless man has admitted to murd3ring a woman with a mallet just days after she invited him to stay at her flat in Hammersmith, west London.
Apapale Adoum, 39, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to killing Victoria Adams, 37, who was found de@d in her home in February. Prosecutors said Ms. Adams suffered at least ten separate head injuries from blows with the weapon.
The court heard that Ms. Adams had recently written a letter asking Adoum to leave her home. Neighbours recalled hearing screams in the middle of the night in the days before her body was discovered.
During his hearing, Adoum stood in the dock wearing a grey t-shirt and submitted a document to the court that contained derogatory comments about the victim.
Judge Nigel Lickley, KC, told Adoum: “I will sentence you on 24 October and on that day I will sentence you to a life sentence. The thing I have to decide is the minimum term you will serve.”
The case highlights the vulnerability of victims who offer accommodation to individuals in precarious circumstances, and the court will determine the minimum period Adoum must serve before being eligible for parole.
