Southwark man who targeted and drug gay men in order to rob jailed for murder

BY JAMES TWOMEY
james@slpmedia.co.uk

A man who murdered a father with a sex drug so he could steal his credit cards has been jailed for life.

Gerry Matovu, 26, of Great Guildford Street, Southwark, was sentenced to 31 years at the Old Bailey for killing 52-year-old HR executive Eric Michels, drugging eight other men and targeting a further four men.

In extracts from a victim impact statement, Mr Michels’s son, Sam said: “Ordinary people cannot begin to understand why you would do the things that you have done and how you can show no remorse for any of your actions.

“As we have unfortunately learned throughout this trial, you are evidently very far from ordinary, decent and hardworking people.

You have taken away someone who gave so much more than you have given, cared so much more than you care, respected people and was indisputably successful throughout his life.

“You have taken away my immediate family and left me alone in the home that I shared with my dad. A home that we had worked on together since we moved in.

“You have taken away all the lessons my dad was yet to teach me and all the experiences he deserved as a father – like meeting his grandchildren and walking his daughter down the aisle.

“He talked about these things regularly and was so excited for the future.”

Matovu carried out these acts with partner Brandon Dunbar, 24, from Romford, who was jailed for 18 years with an extended licence period of five years.

Over a period of 19 months, Matovu and Dunbar targeted 12 gay men by arranging to meet them through apps such as Grindr.

Eight of the men were believed to be drugged with GBL (gamma-butyrolactone) known as a ‘chemsex’ drug used to heighten arousal, which comes in liquid form and is easy to overdose on.

The men were given the drugs and made unconscious so the pair could steal from them, Mr Michels died after being given a fatal dose.

Detective Inspector Mark Richards said: “Today’s sentencing marks the end of a long and complex police investigation and the nature of Matovu and Dunbar’s crimes mean their jail terms are more than justified.

The pair had a well-rehearsed plan to take advantage of men they met through social networking sites and apps such as Grindr to steal their property.

“This was their overwhelming motive, rather than sexual assault.

Matovu was described in evidence as a hustler, a liar and a thief – apt words.”