Koray Alpergin: ‘Violent and dangerous’ men jailed for killing radio DJ who was kidnapped and tortured

Two men have been jailed for killing a London DJ who was found dead in woodland near an Essex industrial estate.

Koray Alpergin, 43 and his girlfriend Gozde Dalbudak were kidnapped from a house in Ebony Crescent in Enfield, north London last October, police said.

He was beaten, throttled, burned and stabbed before his body was dumped in an Essex woodland.

Ali Kavak, 26 and Tejean Kennedy, 33 were found guilty of kidnap, false imprisonment and manslaughter. 

Steffan Gordon, 34, was found guilty of false imprisonment, while Samuel Owusu-Opoku, 35, was found guilty of kidnap.

Yigit Hurman, 18, was also charged with perverting the course of justice and pleaded guilty to this.

The group of men had bundled Mr Aplergin into the back of a white van after they arrived home.

He was then taken to a disused restaurant in Tottenham where he was repeatedly physically assaulted, resulting in 94 separate injuries to his body including 14 fractured ribs and a blow to the head, which caused brain damage. 

The pathologist who analysed his body estimated that he would not have survived his injuries long after they were inflicted.

After killing him, the men then moved his body to a trading estate in Tottenham, before moving it again to Loughton.

Mr Alpergin, who was originally from northern Cyprus, was a well-known figure in the British Turkish community.

He owned a Turkish language radio station in London, Bizim FM, and had in the past been pictured with celebrities.

Detective Chief Inspector Matt Webb, the lead investigator, said the case was like something “from a gangster movie.”

“First he was kidnapped by a group of men in a highly organised operation that involved placing a tracker on his car. He was then taken to a disused restaurant where he was subjected to a horrific attack.

"The individuals responsible for his death were careful to cover their tracks by cleaning the restaurant and burning out cars used to move Koray's body. However, we cracked this case through painstaking and lengthy analysis of CCTV that demonstrated the group’s collective activity and presence at key locations. We also presented detailed mobile phone records to the jury showing how they were in contact before, during and after Koray was kidnapped.

"I am pleased that these extremely violent and dangerous men have been convicted and will now be in prison for a long period of time. This should send a message to those involved in organised crime and serious violence, we will leave no stone unturned and are determined to bring them to justice."

Judge Whitehouse sentenced Kavak, from Tottenham, to 13 years’ imprisonment and Kennedy, of Cricklewood Broadway, to 18 years.

Gordon, of Northolt, was sentenced to eight years and Owusu-Opoku, of Wood Green, to seven years’ imprisonment.

Hurman, of Muswell Hill was sentenced to two years' imprisonment.

Anyone who knows the identity of anyone else involved or their whereabouts is asked to contact police by calling 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.