Afternoon:
9°c
Conniving and manipulative abuser who enjoyed the suffering of others
Paul Cheston, Courts Correspondent18 Nov 2009
Hatice Can is a classic example of an abused child who grows up to become an abuser.
Can, 15, was born into a Turkish family where she witnessed, and was a victim of, prolonged domestic violence. She was then passed through a series of children's homes.
At the time of Rosimeiri's death, Can was 13, living rough and had been reported missing by her mother.
Although petite and pretty, she has been described as someone who is conniving and manipulative and enjoys the suffering of others. One police officer said bluntly: "She is a right little madam - and I've seen a few."
During the trial, Can wore fake designer accessories and posed around the courtroom. On one occasion in the Old Bailey canteen, she grabbed her counsel's wig and gown and pranced about as the parents of her victim sat close by.
She has one police caution for criminal damage in April last year. Can was able to dominate Oluwakemi Ajose, known as Kemi, despite her being much bigger and four years older.
Although Ajose had been Rosimeiri's friend, the mobile phone video of the attack shows her responding brutally to Can's demands that she hit their victim over and over again.
After the killing, Ajose, now 19, was diagnosed by psychiatrists as suffering from a personality disorder and has been sectioned.
As a result of medication, Ajose looked lost and bemused in court. Born in Britain to an African family, she has two police cautions - for shoplifting and assaulting a police officer - both this year.
Detective Inspector Bob Meade said: "One of the strange things was the age difference between the three girls - yet it was the oldest who was getting bullied by the youngest. Rosi was definitely the odd one out."
