Drug dealer who supplied Barking serial killer Stephen Port with GHB given community order

Gerald Matovu has admitted selling drugs to Barking serial killer Stephen Port, who murdered four gay men with date rape drug GHB Picture: Met Police (Image: Archant)

Gerald Matovu, of Great Guildford Street, Southwark, south London, admitted supplying Port with mephedrone and date rape drug GHB on or before August 8, 2015, and offering to supply GHB on August 20, 2015.

Port, 41, was jailed for life in November for murdering four young gay men – including 25-year-old Dagenham forklift truck driver Jack Taylor – and dumping their bodies within 500 metres of his Cooke Street, Barking home between June 2014 and September 2015.

Sentencing 23-year-old Matovu at Southwark Crown Court, Judge Andrew Goymer said there was no connection between him and the “appalling crimes” committed by Port.

He said: “There is absolutely no suggestion that this defendant came into contact with those four young men who were the unfortunate victims of the terrible crimes committed by Stephen Port.”

Referring to the serial killer, the judge said: “His crimes were truly dreadful.”

Judge Goymer said Matovu’s case came to light following Port’s arrest and the interrogation of Port’s phone to see who he had been in contact with.

The court heard that “very small amounts” of controlled drugs were supplied, and the drugs were “on a social basis and not for profit”.

Judi Kemish, mitigating, said Matovu is remorseful and was leading a “chaotic lifestyle” at the time.

Communication records obtained by the police indicate Port bought the drugs from Matovu for use during consensual sex with his partner.

Matovu was given a community order with 150 hours of unpaid work, to be completed within 12 months, and was also handed a drug rehabilitation requirement.