Thug jailed for murdering property millionaire in his own home

Victim: Milton Papadopoulos
Hertfordshire Police
Paul Cheston23 October 2015
WEST END FINAL

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A thug who murdered a millionaire was jailed for at least 25 years at the Old Bailey today.

Milton Papadopoulos, 41, was stripped naked, tied up and robbed in his own home after being confronted on his doorstep.

He had made his fortune from a property empire and other businesses but had fallen into depression fuelled by drugs and gambling debts.

With his Potters Bar home filled with the trappings of his ostentatious wealth he was “the perfect target” for robbery, the court heard.

His obvious luxury lifestyle cost him his life as he was “smothered” to death and his £25,000 white gold Rolex Submariner watch stolen.

Murderer: Sebastian Kimel of Streatham

Sebastian Kimel, 40 of Streatham, was convicted of murder was sentenced to life imprisonment by Judge Mark Lucraft QC.

Two accomplices, Arkadiusz Szarkowski, 42 of Hornchurch, and Krzysztof Kazsa, 42 of Wood Green, were both jailed for 13 years.

They had been cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter. All three were convicted of conspiring to rob.

Szarkowski and Kazsa were also convicted of conspiracy to falsely imprison and Kimel had already pleaded guilty to that charge.

All three have extensive criminal records in their native Poland.

Mr Papadopoulos was attacked in October last year.

His next door neighbour Holly Mason had heard a row and the millionaire shout in a panicky voice “you’re not allowed in, don’t come in” before his door slammed shut.

Said prosecutor Mark Fennhalls QC: “Shortly afterwards she heard ‘Milton scream a scream I had never heard before, like something in a horror movie.’”

Ms Mason took a photograph of a white van parked outside the house which proved crucial in tracking down the killers.

The alarm was not raised for two days because Mr Papadopoulos was a recluse and had cut himself off from his friends and family.

Eventually he was discovered naked and lying on his back in his living room with dark stains around his wrists indicating he had been handcuffed or tied up.

The house smelt of disinfectant and showed signs of a desperate clean-up job, but police still found Kimmel’s DNA in blood at the scene.

The three defendants told conflicting stories littered with lies and blamed others for the killing.

Kimel claimed he had been asked to collect a collect a debt of 2kg of cocaine and £100,000 form Mr Papadopoulos and had actually tried to save the victim's life.

He admitted going to the house but said the murder was committed by an accomplice, whom he refused to name and is not on trial, who had “lost control.”

But Szarkowski told the jury the gang had gone to the house to rob Mr Papadopoulos having been tipped off by escort girls that he was a rich man living on his own.

He denied any plan to kill or seriously injure the victim.

Kazsa did not give evidence. He is facing two European Arrest Warrants over allegations of house breaking, extortion, false currency and organised crime in Poland.

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