Neighbours today told how they heard screams as a young woman was knifed to death during an alleged argument in a tower block.

Islington Gazette: A police officer was yesterday stationed outside the flat on the top floor of Jessop Court, off Graham Street in IslingtonA police officer was yesterday stationed outside the flat on the top floor of Jessop Court, off Graham Street in Islington (Image: Archant)

Scotland Yard has launched a murder probe after the woman’s death in Jessop Court, off Graham Street in Islington, last night.

A 31-year-old man, said to be wearing no shoes and a sleeveless vest, was arrested at the scene. He is currently being questioned in a north London police station.

Stunned neighbours were left unable to sleep after the woman, in her 20s, was stabbed in the throat.

Tracy Baxter, 49, lives next door to the flat where the woman – believed to be an Albanian national who had been living in Jessop Court for two months – died.

“She was locked out of the flat only on Saturday afternoon,” she told the Gazette. “We invited her in to ours for a coffee.

Islington Gazette: A police officer was yesterday stationed outside the flat on the top floor of Jessop Court, off Graham Street in IslingtonA police officer was yesterday stationed outside the flat on the top floor of Jessop Court, off Graham Street in Islington (Image: Archant)

“Last night, at about 10.30pm, we could hear her screaming, a few things being thrown and the next minute - silence.

“I’m just shocked.”

Esther Ravenor, 48, also lives on the top floor of the block.

She laid flowers at the main entrance just after midday.

Son Malcolm, 18, said: “I heard a loud scream and then a loud thump.”

Islington Gazette: A police officer was yesterday stationed outside the flat on the top floor of Jessop Court, off Graham Street in IslingtonA police officer was yesterday stationed outside the flat on the top floor of Jessop Court, off Graham Street in Islington (Image: Archant)

Ms Ravenor added: “You could see the police out here looking for someone.

“I saw a man being taken to the police van. He had no shoes and a sleeveless vest - just as if he had been chilling out inside.

“We couldn’t get to sleep. We saw the body being moved at around 4am.”

Asked why she laid the flowers, Ms Ravenor said: “I didn’t know the victim, and not enough people speak to each other here. But if something happened to me, I would want this.”

Dira Stark, who lives across the road from Jessop Court in Rocliffe Street, said: “I heard argument noises. It was around midnight and I wasn’t sleeping. I was thinking about looking through the window but my daughter told me not to.

“I can’t believe it.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the police in the incident room on 0208 345 3734, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.