A 23-YEAR-OLD man was jailed for a minimum of 21 years after being convicted of murdering transsexual prostitute Destiny Lauren.

Leon Fyle, of Laleham Road, Catford, was out on licence for burglary when he strangled Destiny Lauren at her Kentish Town flat in 2009, Southwark Crown Court heard.

On the night of the murder, he telephoned the 29-year-old, then travelled across London for a sexual encounter in her home.

After having sex, he strangled her and fled with jewellery, her mobile phone and £350 in cash.

The court heard Fyle then spent £250 on two more sex workers in Kings Cross.

Her brother discovered Ms Lauren's body soon after the killing and raised the alarm, calling police at around 12.55am on November 5 2009.

The court Fyle had previous convictions for attempted robbery and assault with intent to rob. He had spent time in a young offenders institute for wounding with intent to cause GBH following an attack on a previous sexual partner.

Sentencing him to life on September 23, Judge Nicholas Lorraine-Smith said: "The court has heard how loved she was by all her family and the terrible effect the murder had upon them."

He said: "As she lay dead or dying in the bedroom you searched her flat for items worth stealing."

The judge said CCTV shown in court demonstrated Fyle's calmness after the murder, saying: "There's never been a hint of remorse for what you did."

Fyle was found guilty on September 21 following a four-week retrial at Southwark Crown Court.

He was previously convicted of the killing last August but the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction in April.

Ms Lauren's friend Jason McNamara, 41, said after the sentencing: "She was definitely a character - she always made you laugh.

"I think a second trial made it much worse for the family. You can't imagine what it's been like for them."