Adina Mihai, 31, and her partner Madalin Dumitru, 30, from Ilford, Essex, have been jailed for 17 years each at Oxford Crown Court after pleading guilty to two counts of manslaughter and two counts of administering poison. The pair targeted men seeking sexual services, with Mihai posing as a sex worker while Dumitru arranged the meetings. They drugged four men with gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), a sedative, to steal from them. Two of the victims, Malcolm King, 80, from Gloucestershire, and Gary Mouat, 36, from Oxfordshire, died as a result.
How the Scheme Worked
According to Julian Evans KC, prosecuting, the couple's method was consistent: while Dumitru waited nearby, Mihai would enter the victim's home, persuade them to drink alcohol laced with GBL, and once they were unconscious, she would steal property such as watches, jewellery, aftershave, and cash. The pair would then leave the victim alone and unconscious. No sexual services were ever provided, and the couple relied on the likelihood that victims would not report the incidents to police out of embarrassment.
The court heard that Mihai advertised online and the couple took cash deposits before meeting the men. The administration of the drug was described as haphazard, depending on the strength of each batch, the amount put into drinks, and the amount consumed.
Judge's Remarks and Impact on Victims
Mrs Justice Brunner, sentencing, said: “Your intention was to incapacitate each victim making them deeply unconscious. The administration of the drug was haphazard and depended on the strength of each batch, the amount put into drinks, and the amount they drunk. If you had stopped for a moment to consider the risks, as you should have done, you would have realised that it carried a high risk of serious injury or death at the very moment you administered that drug. If you had done the most cursory research, you would know that GBL can be extremely toxic.”
Victim impact statements were read in court. Mouat’s eight-year-old son said: “Why did you have to kill my dad, you could have just taken the money, he was really kind, he would have given it to you. He was my dad and now he’s gone. I miss him every day and will never get to see him again. I will never be able to get another dad and that makes me feel so sad. You have ruined my life and all the plans we had to do things together. My family is destroyed now.”
King’s daughter, Caroline, said: “When my father was killed, the defendants did not only end his future. They stole mine as well.” His younger sister, Jacky Seagroatt, added: “What haunts me every day is the way he died. I might have been able to come to terms with losing my brother if he had died naturally or as the result of a tragic accident. I cannot stop imagining what he went through or how frightened he may have been.”
Prosecution and Investigation
Charles White, senior crown prosecutor with the CPS, described the case as “unique”. No other deaths, poisonings, or thefts have been linked to the pair, but police are keeping an open mind about the possibility of other victims. The investigation continues, and authorities urge anyone with information to come forward.
