Kellie was strangled by teenager after oral sex, court told

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The Old Bailey today heard that a 39-year-old trans woman was strangled to death in her flat in south east London by a teenager who had allowed her to perform oral sex on him.

Kellie Telesford’s body was found at her Thornton Heath flat in November after police responded to calls from friends and forced entry into the apartment.

“Kellie Telesford was born in Trinidad, she was aged 39 at the time of her death,” Sally O’Neill QC, prosecuting, told the court, according to the CroydonToday.co.uk.

“Although born a man with the name Kayode Dexter Telesford, she was a pre-operative transgender female and lived her life as a woman.

“She was said to be a well groomed woman in her 30s and described as both a nice person and good friend.”

Miss O’Neill said that the defendant, 18-year-old Shanniel Hyatt, went back to her flat on the evening of November 17th and, after she had performed oral sex on him, he became angry when he discovered she was a transsexual.

Hyatt told police after his arrest on November 29th that he did not know she was trans woman during the time he spent with her and denied that he had found out at her flat and become violent.

The prosecution claims that Hyatt, who was 17 at the time, strangled her with a brown scarf, covered her body with a towel and stole items including Kellie’s Oyster card, which he used to get the bus home.

“It is the prosecution case that this defendant went with Kellie Telesford back to her flat in the early evening of November 17th and having spent the evening with her he strangled her.”

Hyatt’s defence barrister, Joanna Greenberg QC, said her client left the flat in Thornton Heath at 10pm and Kellie was still alive and that he had not killed her.

The trail continues.