Gangster jailed for 35 years for gay masseur murder

A British gangster was sentenced for a minimum of 35 years for the brutal murder of a Thai gay masseur.

Darren Marcus Johnson, nicknamed Chaos, was convicted of murder at the Old Bailey after the body of gay Thai man, Niphan Trikhana, was found in his flat in 2004.

Judge Jeremy Roberts told Johnson that he was a sadistic individual who had shown a lack of remorse for his crimes. He added: “Johnson and his gang targeted a vulnerable victim. The robbery was carefully planned. The gang tricked their way into the victim’s flat where they mercilessly tortured him and subjected him to a great deal of physical and mental suffering before he died.'”

His gang targeted prostitutes by replying to adverts and then tying up and beating victims and stealing their money, in the case of Trikhana, 32, they strangled and stabbed him in the neck.

Police had pursued Johnson, 27, for many years after he was cleared over the murder of Andrew Burke, who was stoned to death in 2000 in Clapham.

He was described by Investigating officer Detective Constable Stephen Holman as “the most sadistic, clever, manipulative criminal I have ever come across.”

Police eventually caught him through mobile phone evidence, after his group aimed to cover their tracks by using different Sim cards, he was convicted along with Muhammed Nduka, 24, and another 24-year-old who cannot be named.

Their victims, who were robbed and beaten, targeted since 2004, included a woman in Regents Park, a Kenyan prostitute in Paddington, a woman known as ‘Venus’ in Fulham, and finally Niphan Trikhana, who was tortured and stabbed seven times in the neck.

Johnson, of Battersea, was convicted of murder, four counts of robbery, two counts of wounding with intent and one of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The 24-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, of west Kensington, was convicted of murder, three counts of robbery, two of wounding with intent and GBH with intent.

They will all be sentenced later today.