Jury doesn’t believe “self defence” defence

A MAN HAS been sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 32 years, at Snaresbrook Crown Court. He was named as Vasile Gorghescu, 47, of Rayner Gardens, Southampton.

Gorghescu was convicted at the same court of murdering Chaudhary Mahmood, 45, after the jury failed to believe his defence that he was acting in self-defence when he attacked Mahmood.

Murder victim Chaudhary Mahmood

Mahmood agreed to meet Gorghescu in a Stratford car park on 9th January 2024 to buy mobile phones. Gorghescu borrowed his brother’s car and drove up from Southampton to meet Mahmood, bringing a box with him. He was going to tell Mahmood it was a box of phones, but it was actually filled with fizzy drinks.

When Mahmood realised he was being conned, Gorghescu attacked him, stabbing him 27 times. He put Mahmood’s body under some blankets and boxes in his brother’s car and then returned to Southampton, leaving his brother’s car in the car park.

In Southampton, Gorghescu told his brother to report that his car had been stolen. His brother did this, and police found the “missing” car the next day. Police were able to work out what had really happened in the car park. They arrested Gorghescu that day, and charged him with murder on 11th January.

Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke from the Metropolitan Police Specialist Crime Command led the investigation into the murder. After the sentencing, she said, “Vasile Gorghescu drove to meet Chaudhary Mahmood armed with a weapon and clearly with the intention of resorting to violence should his fraudulent plan be uncovered.” Chaudhary “was defenceless in the face of Gorghescu’s attack.

“Gorghescu has attempted to deflect blame away from himself, claiming he acted in self-defence and that he also could not remember what happened.”

She added, “This has been an incredibly distressing time for Chaudhary’s family and nothing will ever erase the pain of their loss. However, I hope that Gorghescu’s conviction and lengthy prison sentence will give them some small sense of closure.”

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