'Parasitic' man killed older woman, jury told

A "parasitic" man befriended a wealthy older woman and killed her after she stopped giving him money, a court has heard.

Serkan Kaygusuz made an "advance" to retiree Norma Girolami, 70, in 2017 and developed a friendship with her.

He successfully demanded ever-increasing sums of money and killed her when she stopped paying out, the Old Bailey heard.

Mr Kaygusuz, 42, of Crouch End, north London, denies murder.

Ms Girolami was found dead in November.

She had given Kaygusuz large amounts of cash, totalling nearly £300,000 after meeting him at a swimming pool in 2017, the Old Bailey was told.

The jury heard she had been "flattered" after he made an advance in the hot tub at the baths.

Over time their relationship became more of a friendship as Mr Kaygusuz demanded ever-increasing sums of money - four and five-figure sums every few weeks - the jury was told.

By May 2021, the "money tap which had flowed so freely for so long was switched off", prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward said.

The reasons were said to have been the death of Ms Girolami's father, her dwindling funds, or that she had "simply had enough" of jobless Mr Kaygusuz's demands.

Ms Ledward said: "By August, the defendant must have realised that his comfortable parasitic lifestyle was not going to continue: he was simply not going to get any more out of Ms Girolami. At least not whilst she was alive."

Jurors were told the defendant's phone was used on 2 August for a series of "sinister searches" online for garden tools, caustic soda, hydrochloric acid, "deed for property transfer" and "will and testament".

On 17 August, there were purchases on his Amazon account of rope, a "soft ball full-mesh mouth plug with adjustable belt", handcuffs, gloves and plastic overalls, tape and a spading fork tool.

Ms Ledward told jurors: "They can only have had one purpose when acquired by the defendant - to restrain and kill Norma Girolami, to conceal her remains by burying them, and ensuring the defendant did not get dirty and acquire any forensic traces in the process."

On 19 August 2021, Ms Girolami travelled from her home in Highgate, north London, for a day out in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

She was never seen alive again.

Ms Ledward said: "The prosecution case is that Kaygusuz murdered her, concealed her body, ultimately by burying it, and then set about getting as much money out of her as he could."

She suggested it was all part of former Lidl supermarket worker Mr Kaygusuz's "cold-blooded plan".

On the evening after Ms Girolami's trip to the seaside, the defendant is alleged to have gone to her flat and killed her.

He went on to pretend to her friends that she was alive and well while systematically taking what remained of the money in her bank accounts, the court heard.

The defendant has admitted dishonestly obtaining Ms Girolami's money and property, and concealing and burying her body.

The Old Bailey trial continues.