Man jailed for Leicester headlock murder

A 53-year-old who killed a man by putting him in a headlock during an argument has been jailed for murder.

Ricky Simon, of Mere Road, Leicester, assaulted Constantine Papathanasiou, 51, at a flat in St Peter's Road in the city in May.

Police said post-mortem tests showed damage to the victim's neck and DNA linked Simon to Mr Papathanasiou.

Simon was found guilty at Leicester Crown Court and sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum of 18 years.

Police said they were initially told by others in the flat that Mr Papathanasiou had died after smoking drugs.

But a post-mortem examination showed he had suffered a series of internal and external injuries to his neck, along with blunt force trauma injuries to his face and torso.

DNA and CCTV evidence linked Simon to the scene, police said.

After the trial, Det Insp Mark Sinski said Simon had "showed no remorse after carrying out this fatal attack on Mr Papathanasiou, leaving him at the scene".

Simon was also found guilty of perverting the course of justice for disposing of a jacket he was wearing at the time.

He was cleared of witness intimidation, and a second defendant was cleared of perverting the course of justice.

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