A 40-year-old Nigerian man based in the United Kingdom, Adedapo Adegbola, has admitted to killing his former British girlfriend, Steph Irons, after stabbing her to death at her home in Nottingham.
Adegbola entered a guilty plea at the Nottingham Crown Court on Monday, confirming that he and Irons were once colleagues whose working relationship later developed into a romantic one before eventually ending.
The fatal incident occurred on October 21, 2025, when Adegbola visited Irons’ residence on Westdale Lane West in the Mapperley area and attacked her with a knife. Authorities said the suspect has refused to explain what triggered the assault.
Investigators revealed that after stabbing Irons, Adegbola made no effort to seek medical help or contact emergency services. Instead, he fled the scene, leaving behind bloodstained trainers that were later linked to him.
Detective Inspector Stuart Barson, who is leading the investigation, stated that Adegbola was focused solely on escaping and attempting to dispose of key evidence following the attack.
Neighbours were unable to determine exactly when the stabbing took place, but Irons’ body was discovered in the living room of the apartment at about 10 p.m. Paramedics pronounced her dead shortly after arriving.
Although Adegbola later presented himself at Oxclose Police Station, police said he declined to cooperate with investigators and offered no comment during questioning.
Detectives relied on forensic evidence, including blood traces on his footwear, CCTV footage, witness accounts and digital records, to build a strong case against him.
Confronted with the weight of the evidence in court, Adegbola pleaded guilty to murder. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 5.
Police disclosed that Irons held bachelor’s and master’s degrees in clinical psychology and had been preparing to apply for a doctorate programme.
Detective Inspector Barson expressed sympathy to her family, noting that he hoped the guilty plea would provide some measure of closure as they mourn her tragic death.
