Man sentenced to life for killing flatmate in London after prior Romanian murder conviction
A 59-year-old construction worker received a life sentence for stabbing his flatmate to death in east London, echoing a 2006 murder for which he served time in Romania.
Construction worker Eugeniu Neamtu, aged 59, was found guilty of murdering his flatmate Gheorghe Trica, 63, by stabbing him in the heart in Walthamstow, east London, on 20 February. The Old Bailey hearing on Friday resulted in Judge Richard Marks KC sentencing Neamtu to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 27 years. Prosecutors highlighted that the attack closely resembled a 2006 homicide in Romania, where Neamtu had been sentenced to 15 years for repeatedly stabbing his housemate during a drunken argument over money.
After his release, Neamtu travelled to the United Kingdom as a visitor in September 2023, failing to disclose his earlier conviction and thus remaining in the country illegally at the time of the London killing. The court noted that the fatal dispute was sparked by the victim’s request for a £5 repayment. This case underscores concerns about repeat violent offenders and immigration screening failures.
Why it matters
It highlights risks of repeat violent offenders entering the UK undetected and gaps in immigration vetting.
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