Investigation into death of man sees two men jailed for 20 years

A police investigation into the death of a man – which led officers on an international manhunt – has ended with two men being jailed for a total of 20 years.
Marian Botea and Dragos Marin-Gugu were both convicted in August this year of the manslaughter of 42-year-old Dumitru-Nicolae Cherascu. Both were acquitted of murder.
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*Marian Botea (left) and Dragos Marin-Gugu*

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Mr Cherascu died in November 2022 after being found unconscious with serious head injuries in Tudor Road, leicester" title="Leicester" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked" data-wpil-monitor-id="36491">Leicester.
An extensive investigation carried out by specialist detectives from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) Murder Investigation Team included reviewing hours of CCTV footage in order to gather vital evidence and teaming up with Romanian authorities to track down and extradite one of the men who had fled to the country after committing the crime.
The investigation also uncovered other criminal offending by 42-year-old Botea relating to the controlling of prostitution for financial gain.
The trial relating to the death of Mr Cherascu ended in August this year with Botea, of Cranmer Street, Leicester, being sentenced to 11 years imprisonment and Gugu, 26, of no fixed address, sentenced to nine years imprisonment.
Court restrictions were placed on reporting the conviction and sentencing at the time due to Botea standing trial for the separate offence of the controlling of prostitution for financial gain.
On day three of this trial, on Friday 10 November, Botea changed his plea and admitted the offence. Following his guilty plea these reporting restrictions have now been lifted.