Adrian Murphy: Teenage woman jailed for dancer's 'devil's breath' murder

A woman who poisoned a talented dancer with a date-rape drug known as "devil's breath" has been jailed for at least 16 years for his murder.

Diana Cristea, 19, together with her partner Joel Osei, 25, used Grindr to befriend men before drugging and robbing them.

Adrian Murphy's body was discovered in his Battersea flat on 4 June 2019.

His sister Majella Murphy said she had been "torn in half" by Cristea's "despicable actions."

Toxicology reports showed Mr Murphy had died from an overdose of scopolamine - a substance known as "devil's breath" and commonly used in rapes and kidnappings in South America.

Cristea wept as she was sentenced by Mr Justice William Davis to detention for life, with a minimum term of 16 years.

He said: "You were an active and willing participant in this plan. You knew scopolamine was being used and you knew what it could do."

Her former partner Osei, 26, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 32 years in January.

Mr Murphy is thought to have died sometime between meeting Osei on 1 June and his body being discovered by his best friend and former partner three days later

A can of Coca-Cola was found to contain traces of scopolamine and Osei's fingerprints were discovered on a bottle of whisky left at the scene.

Cristea, of Mill Hill, north London, and Osei were both found guilty of murder following a trial at Croydon Crown Court.

They were also convicted of poisoning a second man with the same drug two days earlier.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, survived, but was taken to hospital after being found by a neighbour almost naked, extremely agitated and confused.

Cristea was given 30 months detention for her part in that offence, which will run concurrently to the sentence for Mr Murphy's murder.

After the robbery, the couple attempted to buy 80,000 US dollars (£62,000) worth of diamonds from a jeweller in New York.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Majella Murphy, told Cristea she had been "torn in half as a direct result of your selfish and despicable actions".

She said: "You stole my little brother Adrian from me and as you are a woman your actions are even worse than your partner in crime and a complete disgrace.

"It's very difficult for me not to hate you, but I refuse to hate you and refuse to be like you, so I must forgive you."