The partner of a convicted murderer has pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice after a teenager's body was kept in a loft for eight months.

The body of Abdi Ali, 17, was found at an address in Hartmoor Mews, Enfield, on August 27 last year.

Gary Hopkins, 37, of Hartmoor Mews, was convicted in March of Abdi's murder.

Today at the Old Bailey, Stacey Docherty, 28, of the same address, who was found not guilty of murder by a jury, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and preventing the lawful and decent burial of a body.

They will both be sentenced at the Old Bailey on June 27.

Abdi, of Ostell Crescent, Enfield, was first reported missing on New Years Eve in 2017 having last been seen at a family wedding earlier that month on December 11.

On December 21 2017, Abdi was asleep on a sofa at Hopkins' home. Hopkins hit Abdi with a hammer before stabbing him in the heart with a kitchen knife.

Abdi was then robbed of cash and drugs before his body was cleaned up, wrapped in a bed sheet and black bags, and put into the loft.

The discovery of Abdi's body at Hopkins' home address followed information provided to police by a friend.

The friend told police that on the evening of August 25 2018, she had gone to visit the flat in Hartmoor Mews. Hopkins was angry with a male who was asleep at his address and she was told there was a body in his attic.

Abdi often stayed in the address because he was homeless and would sell drugs in return as a mutual arrangement.

Hopkins and Docherty were arrested at their address on August 27 after officers acted on the information and found Abdi's body.

Enfield Independent:

Abdi Ali

In a victim impact statement, Abdi’s mother, Iisha Abdullahi, said: "I cried every day Abdi was missing. When I was informed about Abdi’s death, I fainted because where his body was found was the same area that I used to pass every day for the eight months that Abdi was missing. As a family we miss Abdi very much and I cannot understand why they did what they did to Abdi.

"I will always love Abdi and I will never forget him."

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Considine, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "I am pleased that Doherty decided to plead guilty to perverting the course of justice today - this has been a tragic case to investigate. Not only was a young man brutally murdered, but his body being hidden put Abdi's family through the anguish of not knowing where he was."