A man described as a 'violent bully' has been jailed for 12 years after subjecting a vulnerable individual to a brutal five-week campaign of violence that culminated in his death. Bamidele Fawehinmi, 33, treated his victim, Dimitrios Tsavdaris, like a 'lackey' and forced him to sleep in squalid conditions before beating him to death.
The victim and his ordeal
Mr Tsavdaris, a 55-year-old former chef known as Jimmy, was discovered dead inside a 'cuckoo' flat in north London on 29 January 2024. The frail crack cocaine addict, who weighed just over eight stone, had been dead or dying for several days without any means to summon help. The Old Bailey heard that Mr Tsavdaris had endured at least three separate violent assaults in the five weeks leading up to his death, resulting in fractures to his ribs, chest, and head, as well as brain injuries. He had previously been found outside a school in November 2023, fearful for his safety after an assault, but discharged himself from hospital.
Exploitation and squalid conditions
Drug dealer Fawehinmi transported the seriously injured Mr Tsavdaris to Hackney from his home in Wickford, Essex. There, the victim had been forced to sleep on a mattress in a garage beside American pitbull cross-breed dogs and was tasked with looking after Fawehinmi's animals, with 14 puppies seen in the garden at one point. Police were alerted to Mr Tsavdaris's death after Fawehinmi's father 'did the right thing' and reported it. Fawehinmi attempted to flee to Nigeria but was arrested on 30 January 2024 after his hire car triggered a camera on the M11. Mr Tsavdaris's blood was later found at the Wickford property and in the Kia car used to move him.
Legal proceedings and sentencing
Fawehinmi, from Haringey, north London, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and causing grievous bodily harm part-way through a retrial in March. An earlier jury had cleared him of murder and failed to reach a verdict on a charge of servitude. On Friday, Judge Mark Lucraft KC sentenced Fawehinmi to 12 years in prison, noting he had treated his victim like his 'lackey' and kept him in 'squalid' conditions. The judge also remarked on the 'deeply shocking' impact of class A drug addiction.
Victim impact statements
In a poignant victim impact statement, Mr Tsavdaris's former wife, Andrea Lavor, described the man she knew before addiction took hold. 'Dimitrios was the love of my life and the father of our son, Antonio,' she said. 'He was much more than the vulnerable man described in court. He came from a good family, was proud of his Pontic Greek heritage, loved music, loved life, and was a caring, kind and loving father.' She added: 'The loss of Dimitrios has devastated our family. Nothing can replace the father my son has lost, and every day we live with the pain of knowing he will never be able to share future milestones with him.'
Detective Superintendent Kelly Allen, from the Metropolitan Police, condemned Fawehinmi's actions. 'I cannot imagine the pain and suffering Dimitrios must have gone through in the final weeks of his life, enslaved by Bamidele Fawehinmi and living in fear for his life,' she stated. 'Fawehinmi is a violent bully who preyed on vulnerable people to exploit them for his own gain.'
Mr Tsavdaris's son, Antonio, who was about to start a 'dream job' as a head chef, expressed his anguish: 'How can someone treat another human being like this? It was such a horrible way for him to die. The man who killed him has shown no remorse.' Fawehinmi had previous convictions for criminal damage and common assault in 2015 and admitted selling crack cocaine.
