UK serial killer Stephen Port has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of four young gay men whom he met online.
Port was convicted of plying his victims with poisoned drinks, which were spiked with fatal doses of date-rape drug GHB. He would then rape them when they were unconscious and dispose of their remains in a nearby graveyard.
The 41-year-old chef drugged and murdered Anthony Walgate, a 23-year-old fashion student from Hull, Gabriel Kovari, 22, originally from Slovakia, Daniel Whitworth, 21, a chef from Kent, and Jack Taylor, 25, a forklift driver from Dagenham.
The judge described his attempts to cover up his crimes as "wicked and monstrous", and told Port he hoped the killer would "die in prison".
Some relatives of the victims cheered and clapped on Friday when the sentence was announced in the Old Bailey courthouse.
A family member of Mr Taylor read a victim statement outside court, holding back tears as she read: "That sick, twisted scumbag will never be able to hurt or destroy anyone else's family or life."
Port was also convicted of numerous sex offences against seven other men who came forward with information about assaults.
The UK's independent police watchdog is investigating why detectives did not initially link the deaths of the four men, whose bodies were found near Port's home in east London over a 15-month period.
Newshub.
