A homeless man who murdered a former Claridge's chef for his bank card has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Adam Rowson, 26, subjected Alexis De Naray, 45, to a brutal and sustained attack in an abandoned building in Telford last June.
The Victim: Alexis De Naray
Alexis De Naray was a highly accomplished chef who trained at Leith's School of Food and Wine and was once regarded as one of the country's leading young culinary talents. He regularly cooked for Prince Harry at his favourite London restaurant, Bunga Bunga, in the late 2000s and was flown to the south of France to prepare meals for supermodel Kate Moss on her private yacht. However, his father Constantine, a former shipping and oil executive, revealed that Alexis began drinking due to the stressful nature of his jobs and was a homeless alcoholic at the time of his death.
The Attack
Mr De Naray met his killer after being taken to hospital when he was found passed out in a Wetherspoons pub in Telford. CCTV footage showed him being led from the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital towards an abandoned building where Rowson was squatting. His body was later discovered under a bloodied sleeping bag in an attic room, having suffered 17 fractured ribs and a brain haemorrhage from significant blunt force trauma. A post-mortem examination also revealed near-fatal levels of alcohol in his system.
The Killer: Adam Rowson
Rowson, of no fixed address, initially claimed he found Mr De Naray dead after checking on him. However, detectives discovered he had used the victim's bank card days earlier to buy alcohol and scratch cards while Mr De Naray was dead or dying. Rowson was also overheard on CCTV confessing to friends that he thought he had killed someone. He was convicted of murder last month at Stafford Crown Court and today received a mandatory life sentence, with a minimum term of 16 years.
Judge's Remarks
Judge Avik Mukherjee described the attack as fierce, sustained, and relentless. He said of Alexis: He was warm, kind-hearted, compassionate and courageous. He was a vulnerable and damaged person who struggled with alcohol. He was struggling every day but he was a survivor, and was surviving every day until he met you at hospital. He was very vulnerable and was unable to protect himself.
Family Tributes
In a victim impact statement, Constantine De Naray said his son's death had a devastating effect on the family. He stated: Alexis, my wonderful boy, did not deserve to lose his life prematurely and in such a violent way. He was a dear son who will be forever missed. Losing him has had a life-changing effect on us as a family. Everyone who knew Alexis loved him. He was a very talented chef and worked for many years in London until he became unwell. He was gradually getting better when he sadly and unexpectedly lost his life. We are devastated at having lost him. No parent should have to bury their child. Alexis will be missed very much.
His step-mother Eugenie De Naray described the murder as a cruel, unnecessary and useless act of aggression, adding that Alexis was a gentle soul who brought a lot of sunshine into the world. His younger brother Alexandros, 17, called him his best friend, saying: I loved him more than I can ever explain. He is one of the most loving and caring people I have ever known. He always brightened my mood. Now instead I think how I can never see him again. One of the people I love most in the world has been taken in such a horrible way. I can only hope he felt no pain in his last moments and is now at peace.
Background: Alexis's Career and Struggles
Constantine De Naray previously recounted how his son fell in love with cooking by watching the family's Thai housekeeper prepare dishes. In his teens, he moved to Greece and helped cook at family gatherings. He later enrolled at Leith's School of Food and Wine and was employed by Gordon Ramsay Holdings at Claridge's Michelin-starred restaurant. He rose to chef de partie by his early 20s before becoming head chef at Bunga Bunga in Battersea, where regulars included Prince Harry, Princess Eugenie, Cara Delevingne, Pippa Middleton, and Margot Robbie. Party-loving Harry earned the nickname Bunga Bunga Prince due to his frequent visits.
However, the pressure of the job and associated drinking took a toll. His father said: Alexis didn't intentionally become an alcoholic. He sleep-walked into it. It was just happening without him realising what was going on. It was all fun and dandy to begin with, about having a good laugh in the kitchen and after work. He didn't know what was happening. If he hadn't become a chef I don't think he would have been an alcoholic. Constantine now calls for the hospitality industry to address alcoholism among workers, noting that free alcohol is readily available and that long hours and stress contribute to the problem.
