Businessman who starred in ‘Skyfall’ was allegedly murdered by serial thief who used dating apps to find victims
Eric Michels was found dead at home after a GHB drug overdose
By Steve Brown
Words: Steve Brown
A man who starred in the James Bond movie Skyfall was allegedly murdered by a serial thief who used dating apps to find victims.
Eirc Michels, 54, was found dead at his home in Chessington last August after a GHB drug overdose and two men, Gerald Matovu and Brandon Dunbar are both are on trial at the Old Bailey for the alleged murder.
Matovu, 25, denies the murder charges and 23-year-old Dunbar denies a string of charges.
Prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC said that two defendants took advantage of hook-ups arranged on apps like Grindr to steal property and take photos of bank cards, the BBC reported.
Reportedly, around 12 men met with the two men for sex but ended up as victims, Rees said.
Jurors were told that eight of the men were drugged in order to ‘render them unconscious’ and five had their drinks spiked and one had drugs injected into his backside.
The jury was told large doses of GHB can ‘induce coma’ and even death and the drug is often implicated in date rape.
Along with the murder charge, Matovu also denies six counts of administering a poison or noxious substance to endanger life, as well as one count of assault by penetration and one count of causing actual bodily harm.
He is also charged with five counts of possession of articles for use in fraud, seven counts of theft and possession of a controlled drug of Class C – all of which he denies and pleaded not guilty.
Dunbar pleaded not guilty to five counts of administering a poison with intent to endanger life, one count of assault by penetration, one count of ABH, seven counts of theft, five counts of possession of articles for use in fraud, two counts of fraud and one count of unlawfully retaining a wrongful credit.
The trial continues.