In a shocking turn of events, a 17-year-old has admitted to the murder of 14-year-old Jermaine Cools.

The incident occurred on November 18, 2021, near West Croydon railway station in south London, where a fight broke out, and Jermaine was fatally stabbed.

Despite being rushed to the hospital, he sadly died from his injuries.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to murder and possessing a knife in Croydon on the same date.

He now faces a life sentence, with a provisional sentencing date set for February 24.

No further details about the crime were given in the brief hearing, and the youth has been remanded into custody.

Jermaine’s family was in attendance at Court Two of the Old Bailey for the first day of the trial, which was cut short due to the guilty plea.

Detective Chief Inspector Richard Vandenbergh from the Met Police’s Specialist Crime unit, who led the investigation, stated that Jermaine’s family had been left “devastated” by the tragedy.

Lorraine Dudek, Jermaine’s mother, described him as the “head of our family” and “always happy and smiling.”

The murder of Jermaine Cools marked the 27th fatal stabbing in London in 2021, making it the worst year for such incidents since 2017.

Tragically, Jermaine was also the youngest victim of a fatal knife or gun violence in the city that year, with 30 teenagers losing their lives.

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