Katerina Makunova died from a single stab wound in Camberwell, London, last year
The family of a teenager who was killed by her boyfriend were dealt another agonising blow today as he was sentenced to just one year in prison.
Katerina Makunova told police she was being harassed and assaulted by convicted drug dealer Oluwaseyi Dada six times in six months before her death.
Dada, 21, repeatedly beat Katrina, 17, and sent taunting messages in the days before she died, texting her saying: ‘Don’t play that game before I stab you.’
The couple started fighting after meeting in the lobby of the killer’s block of flats at in Camberwell, southeast London in July last year.
Gang member Dada, who is 6ft 5in tall and nicknamed ‘Capone’, towered over 5ft 4in Katerina as the pair fought about a Versace handbag he had bought her.
He claimed that during the struggle Katrina fell onto the handbag, which contained a six inch kitchen knife that penetrated her chest.
As he was ordered to serve half of a two-year jail sentence today, Katerina’s heartbroken brother Julius screamed: ’17 years old, one year, one year for my sister’s life.’
The court heard Dada met Ms Makunova on Instagram two years earlier but their relationship soured and descended into a barrage of insults over social media.
Police and paramedics were called to the scene in Brisbane Street at 12.18pm in July last year where they found Dada performing CPR on Katerina.
Oluwaseyi Dada, left, has been jailed for the manslaughter of Katerina. As he was ordered to serve half of a two-year jail sentence today, Katerina’s heartbroken brother Julius (right) screamed: ’17 years old, one year, one year for my sister’s life.’
Dada was arrested on suspicion of murder at the scene, but the charge was reduced to manslaughter.
When police ushered him away, he said: ‘I grabbed her and pulled her to the floor.’
Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith today jailed him for two years and three months and Dada will serve just half of the sentence.
The judge said Dada had helped to build up ‘the tension’ ahead of the confrontation, which ‘was expected to be so serious’ that Ms Makunova arrived with a knife in her handbag.
The judge said: ‘The kitchen knife that caused her death was hers and had, it seems, been brought to the scene by her in a handbag that you had given her.
‘It appears that somehow, in the struggle between you and her, the blade of the knife was pushed through the bag from the inside and tragically pierced her chest and her heart.
‘Doubtless you expected that she would be armed and so when you did confront her you grabbed her handbag. In the course of the struggle, you took hold of her, pushed her and she fell.
‘This was a confrontation which could so easily have been avoided.
‘The sentence is one of two years, three months. You will serve one half of that sentence before you are released on license,’ concluded the judge.
As Dada was led down to the cells he turned to grin at the victim’s family.
Ms Makunova’s brother Julius erupted, shouting: ‘One and a half years. You’re all a bunch of idiots. 17 years old, one year, one year for my sister’s life.’
Judge Loraine-Smith warned him to leave the courtroom or risk being arrested.
Dada, nicknamed Capone, bragged of his links to Gang 67 and drill rap.
Makunova, believed to be the 82nd victim of the epidemic of knife crime in London last year, had been working at Aroma Hair and Beauty in Farnborough, Hampshire
The convicted ‘County Lines’ drug dealer had recently been released from a 30-month jail sentence for pushing heroin and crack cocaine in Norwich.
Dada told police he thought that Ms Makunova was about to attack him and she fell to the floor when he grabbed her handbag.
Makunova, believed to be the 82nd victim of the epidemic of knife crime in London last year, had been working at Aroma Hair and Beauty in Farnborough, Hampshire.
Speaking after her death, her brother paid tribute to the tragic teenager, describing her as a ‘hardworking, confident and joyful girl’.
He added: ‘She could walk into the room and put a smile on everyone’s face.’
Her sister Nicola Makunova said: ‘I cry myself to sleep and wish she would appear in my dreams.’
In an impact statement read out in court she told Dada: ‘You have not just killed her – you have killed us too.’
Dada, from New Park Road in Streatham, south London, admitted manslaughter. He was sentenced to two years and three months jail.