Five Men Sentenced to Life for Murder of Greek Tourist in London
London, UK – Five men have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Antonis Antoniadis, a 27-year-old greek national, who was fatally stabbed in London earlier this year. The attack occurred in the early hours of July 2nd, following a night out with friends near Oxford Circus. The sentences were handed down today following a trial at the Old Bailey.
The group targeted Mr. Antoniadis and his friends as they walked to their accommodation in New Cross, south-east London, after taking an Uber. The senseless violence has sparked outrage and grief, with Mr. Antoniadis’ parents,Stella and yiannis Antoniadis,describing the loss as “unjust and inhumane” and emphasizing the importance of justice to prevent similar tragedies.”There is nothing worse in the world than losing your child, especially in the sudden and horrific way that this happened to our antonis,” they saeid in a statement released through the Metropolitan Police. “Justice is very vital for our child’s vindication but especially to prevent other parents from finding themselves in our tragic position.”
Mr. Antoniadis,an office worker at a Greek printing firm,had been on a week-long holiday in London with two friends. The court heard the group left the club after 08:00 BST and were ambushed by four hooded and masked figures as they approached their lodging.A fifth man waited in a car to facilitate their escape.
During the attack, mr. Antoniadis attempted to defend himself, striking one of his assailants with a brandy bottle he was carrying.However, he was overwhelmed and subjected to a brutal assault, suffering stab wounds to the chest and thigh. He died in hospital on July 21st, two weeks after the attack.
The examination, described by Det Ch Insp Kate Blackburn as “particularly challenging and complex” due to limited CCTV footage and vehicle tracking difficulties, ultimately led to the conviction of the five defendants. Det Ch Insp Blackburn praised Mr. Antoniadis’ friends for their courage in returning to the UK to provide evidence, stating, “I would like to thank in particular Antonis’ friends, who had witnessed his brutal murder and returned to the UK to give their evidence.” She added that the sentences “reflect the severity of the actions of the defendants on that Sunday morning.”
