A teenager has admitted fatally stabbing a 14-year-old boy in south London. Jermaine Cools was injured in London Road, Croydon, near West Croydon railway station, after a fight involving a number of people on 18 November 2021. Police said that at 6.41pm, a member of the public reported the incident outside a chicken shop. The defendant, then aged 16, was caught on CCTV walking towards the fight and drawing a large knife from his coat, police said. Jermaine had fallen over and the boy ran towards him while he was on the ground. The defendant was seen repeatedly lunging at Jermaine with the knife, while the victim was frantically trying to avoid being stabbed, Scotland Yard said. Jermaine received multiple stab wounds and the defendant ran from the scene with the knife. A member of the public approached Jermaine, who was bleeding heavily, helped him into a car, and drove him to Croydon hospital, where he later died. A postmortem examination found he had suffered seven stab wounds to his body, and that the fatal wound to his chest pierced a lung. A murder investigation began and the defendant was quickly identified from CCTV. But he had left his home and police searched for him for nearly six weeks. On 27 December 2021, he was found hiding behind a bed. At the station he refused to answer any questions, but was charged with Jermaine’s murder and possession of an offensive weapon. On Monday the defendant, now aged 17, appeared at the Old Bailey for a plea hearing. He pleaded guilty to murder, having previously admitted possession of a knife in London Road, Croydon, on the same date. Prosecutor Caroline Carberry KC suggested a provisional sentencing date of 24 February. The facts of the case were not outlined in court and the defendant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was remanded into custody.