Romanian couple jailed for 17 years each after honeytrap drugging kills two men in England

The sentences

Adina Mihai, 31, and her partner Madalin Dumitru, 30, from Ilford, Essex, were each sentenced to 17 years in prison at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday, 13 August 2026. The Romanian couple pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter for the deaths of Malcolm King, 80, and Gary Mouat, whose age is given as 36 by The Guardian and BBC, and as 37 by other sources. They also admitted two further counts of administering poison to surviving victims, whose identities cannot be disclosed due to reporting restrictions. The guilty pleas were entered on the first day of their trial in June, according to BBC, though The Independent reported the pleas came on the second day of the hearing.

How the honeytrap worked

Mihai advertised escort and massage services on the Vivastreet website, accepting cash deposits before meeting men at their homes. Dumitru would drive her to the victim's address and wait nearby in a car, apparently armed in case of trouble. Once inside, Mihai persuaded the men to drink alcohol laced with gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), a sedative that rapidly converts to a powerful depressant once in the body. After the victim lost consciousness, she searched the property for cash, jewellery, watches (including Rolex models), aftershave and other valuables before rejoining Dumitru, leaving the victim alone and unconscious. No sexual services were ever provided. The pair relied on victims' reluctance to report the thefts to police out of embarrassment.

The two deaths

Malcolm King was found dead at his home in Bagendon, Gloucestershire, on 21 August 2024. Gloucestershire Police initially treated his death as non-suspicious because he had a pre-existing heart condition. Gary Mouat was found dead at his home in Banbury, Oxfordshire, on 13 July 2025. After Mouat's death, Thames Valley Police identified the GBL poisoning and circulated an information bulletin to forces across the country. Gloucestershire Police then re-examined King's case, and further toxicological tests confirmed Mihai had also poisoned him with the sedative. Two additional men were drugged with GBL in July 2025 but survived.

The judge's remarks

Mrs Justice Brunner KC told the court that the couple had formed a joint plan to covertly drug the men, with roles that were equally significant. She accepted that they did not know anyone had died as they continued their scheme, but rejected ignorance as a defence.

“If you had stopped for a moment to consider the risks, as you should have done, you would have realised that you were creating a high risk of serious injury or death every time you administered that drug.”

“If you had done the most cursory research you would know that GBL can be extremely toxic.”

The judge noted that the administration of the drug was haphazard, depending on the strength of each batch, the amount put into drinks, and the amount consumed by each victim.

Family statements and arrest

Mouat's eight-year-old son delivered a video statement played in court, asking the pair why they had to kill his father when he would have willingly handed over his money. Jacky Seagroatt, King's sister, described the devastation the killings brought to their family. The couple were arrested when police stopped a BMW in traffic, with Dumitru at the wheel and Mihai in the front passenger seat. Items belonging to victims were recovered from the vehicle, and Mihai's fingerprints were found on wine glasses in the men's homes. Police have said they are keeping an open mind about the possibility that other victims were targeted by the pair.