A 22-YEAR-OLD Catford man has today been sentenced to 21 years in prison for murdering a transsexual prostitute at her home.

Leon Fyle, of Laleham Road, was found guilty of strangling 29-year-old Destiny Lauren after a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court in August.

He will have 109 days taken off his sentence, which he has already served in custody.

Jurors heard on November 5 last year, unemployed Fyle telephoned Ms Lauren, before travelling across London to visit her for a sexual encounter at Ms Lauren’s Kentish Town flat.

Once at the address, the court heard Fyle had sex with his victim, before strangling her and fleeing with items of her jewellery, her mobile phone and £350 cash.

Following the attack, Fyle took a bus to Kings Cross where he went to a brothel and spent £250 of the stolen money on the services of two further sex workers.

Ms Lauren's brother found her soon after the attack and raised the alarm.

She was taken by ambulance to the Royal Free Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

A post-mortem examination gave cause of death as manual and forcible compression to the neck.

Investigating officer, Detective Inspector Liz Baker of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command said: "The murder of Destiny Lauren was brutal and pre-meditated.

“Fyle has not shown one shred of remorse for this callous act nor for the suffering he has inflicted on Destiny's family and friends.

“I hope his conviction can go some way to ease their pain.”