Man charged with poisoning two people after ‘suspicious’ death of Adrian Murphy

Suspect accused of drugging man he met on social media with motion sickness medication

Adrian Murphy was found dead in a block of flats in Battersea on 4 June after allegedly being poisoned three days earlier (Metropolitan Police)

A man has been charged with the poisoning of two people after a 43-year-old man died in suspicious circumstances.

Joel Osei, 24, appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Saturday accused of administering scopolamine, a motion sickness drug, to Adrian Murphy on 1 June.

Murphy’s body was discovered in a block of flats at Lombard Road, Battersea, on 4 June.

The drug, also known as hyoscine, can cause side effects such as sleepiness and blurred vision in regular doses.

Mr Osei, of no fixed abode, is also alleged to have administered the same drug to another man on 30 May.

The Metropolitan Police said the victim had been drugged by someone he met on social media and invited to his flat in Walthamstow.

The defendant is also charged with two counts of theft in relation to items taken from addresses during the two incidents and six charges of fraud for using the credit card of the earlier alleged victim.

Mr Osei attended court in a grey tracksuit and spoke only to confirm his name, address and British nationality.

The Met Police warned there may be more victims after the discovery of Murphy’s body in June.

Detective chief inspector Rob Pack has previously said both incidents involved “hook-ups organised on social media or dating platforms.”

“Two of the matters with which you are charged can only be tried in the Crown Court, and accordingly, I surrender you to the Crown Court,” he was told by the judge.

“The other matters are linked and accordingly I send them with the indictable matter.”

Additional reporting by PA