Mark Fenhalls KC and Sharon Bahia, instructed by West Midlands Complex Casework Unit, successfully prosecuted Ovidiu Gurita for Murder, administering a stupefying drug with intent to commit theft, Robbery and Conspiracy to supply drugs and Vasilica Bornescu who was convicted of Manslaughter in the alternative and of all additional offences listed above. The case involved 3 experts and 3 possible causes of death, one which meant the Defendants did not cause it.
The deceased was a regular client of Miss Bornescu, a sex worker. She had become aware that he owned an expensive gold Rolex £35,000, a gold chain and a ring. She informed her boyfriend/minder Mr Gurita and a plan was concocted to drug the deceased with Diazepam and steal the items from him. Alcohol and drugs were administered. This plan went wrong when the deceased did not fall asleep. The plan then changed to use violence against him. Mr Gurita attended the property under the guise of engaging in sexual intercourse with the Deceased . Whilst the Deceased was naked, with his arm strapped to his leg with a belt, on his knees with his back to the Defendants, he was assaulted. He suffered blows to his face, and a severe blow to the neck that dislocated his hyoid bone or applied a neck hold causing compression or suffocation. The deceased was left in this comporting position. The Defendant was discovered over 12 hours later by a friend who attended the property. In the intervening the time the Defendant’s were disposing of his property at Cash Converters and pawn shops.
