29-year-old given indefinite hospital order after fatal attack in Haggerston
A man has been sentenced following the death of his girlfriend, who was found unresponsive inside her car in Hackney last year.
Gogoa Tape, 29, of Marsworth House, Haggerston, appeared at Inner London Crown Court on Monday, September 1, where he was handed a hospital order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act with an additional restriction order under Section 41. This means he could be detained indefinitely.
The sentence relates to the death of 25-year-old Kennedi Westcarr-Sabaroche, who was discovered in Talavera Place, near Whiston Road, on the morning of Saturday, April 6, 2024.
The incident
Police forced entry to Kennedi’s car shortly after 7.15am, but despite their efforts and those of paramedics, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives established that Tape had met Kennedi in the Bruce Grove area the evening before, and she had driven him around before returning to the Whiston Estate.
CCTV evidence showed Kennedi’s car parked in Talavera Place at 11.25pm, with Tape seen lunging into the vehicle for around eight minutes. Officers believe this was the moment Kennedi was fatally attacked.
Despite having access to both their phones, Tape did not call for help. Instead, he later admitted to his brother that he had killed Kennedi. His brother subsequently discovered her body and alerted police at 6.42am the following morning.
A kitchen knife was recovered from inside the vehicle.
Court proceedings
Tape was arrested at the scene and initially charged with murder. However, psychiatric assessments found he was suffering from schizophrenia with paranoid and persecutory delusions at the time of the killing.
He later pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility and possession of a bladed article.
Police statement
Detective Inspector Aytac Necati, from the Met’s Specialist Crime North team, said:
“This is a tragic incident and our thoughts remain with Kennedi’s family and friends as they continue to process what happened.
This young woman’s life was cruelly cut short.”
Wider context
The Met Police said the case highlights their renewed commitment under the New Met for London strategy to tackle violence against women and girls, pledging to better identify dangerous offenders and make fuller use of powers to protect potential victims.
