Property tycoon jailed for life

Papalexis, pictured on a throne in his office in Florida

A developer has been jailed for life for murdering a tenant who got in the way of a £2m property deal.

Thanos Papalexis, 37, ordered the death of Charalambos Christodoulides in 2000.

The 55-year-old's body was found in a £2m warehouse complex in Kensal Rise, north-west London. He had been tortured to death, the Old Bailey heard.

Papalexis, who denied the murder, was jailed for a minimum of 20 years by Judge Jeremy Roberts, who described him as a "totally amoral person".

The court heard Papalexis, the son of a wealthy London-based Greek shipping magnate, was worried the property deal would collapse and needed money for another development.

You treated Charalambos as completely expendable Judge Jeremy Roberts Greed and lies caught up with killer

Judge Roberts said: "You found yourself with a serious problem. You decided to take a life of a harmless and innocent human being.

"You must have realised what happened, if it became known, would have scuppered the deal. He could not be allowed to live to tell."

He continued: "You are a totally amoral person in the sense that you do not think twice in doing or saying anything which helps you achieve your own ends.

"This was an execution carried out for financial gain - you treated Charalambos as completely expendable."

The killing of Mr Christodoulides was descibed as "senseless"

Jonathan Laidlaw QC, prosecuting, said Mr Christodoulides had been tied to a chair, tortured and strangled.

Two Albanian workmen Ylli Xhelo, 35, and Robert Baxhija, 29, also charged with the murder, will face a retrial after the jury failed to reach verdicts.

Mr Laidlaw added: "It appears that the victim was condemned to die for no better reason than he was not prepared to leave his home."

Mr Christodoulides' sister Anna, 60, said in a statement to court: "I truly believe he is like a devil for what he has done.

"Regardless of the length of sentence it will never justify how a multi-millionaire playboy can put the value of money over and above the life of my innocent, harmless brother."

She continued: "No amount of years will allow me to accept the senseless act resulting in the murder of my much-loved brother.

"Charles was a quiet man, going about his own simple life - nobody deserves to die in such truly dreadful circumstances."

Papalexis was described as a playboy property developer who led the lifestyle of a millionaire in Florida, throwing expensive parties, hiring designer Gianni Versace's former home and holding a fundraiser for the US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.

But an American prostitute said he had confessed to the murder, leading to his extradition to face trial in Britain.