Convicted killer is tracked down to his French hideaway as victim's family are left infuriated

A British businessman jailed for 20 years for murdering his fiancee in a luxurious Paris lodge has been secretly free of jail after simply 22 months.

Ian Griffin, 47, bludgeoned multi-millionaire Kinga Legg, 36, to dying of their £800-a-night room on the five-star Bristol and left her bare physique within the bathtub. A coroner stated she obtained 'round 100 blows'.

However in a choice that has infuriated Miss Legg's household, a French choose ordered Griffin's launch at a closed listening to in October. 

The entrepreneur has since been dwelling quietly within the Alsace area, three hours east of Paris.

Standing by her man: Ian Griffin with Tracy Baker, who he was in a relationship with whereas he was engaged to Miss Legg

No rationalization for his new-found freedom has been given and, astonishingly, it seems the household of Miss Legg, a Polish-born worldwide businesswoman, knew nothing about it till contacted by The Mail on Sunday yesterday.

Her cousin, Eva, stated: 'Oh my God! How can this be? I assumed that life meant life – you're taking a life and also you pay for it by forfeiting your personal freedom.

'All of us thought he was in jail and that was the place he was staying. How may they let him out?'

She stated if Miss Legg's mom Halina and brother Marek had recognized concerning the launch they might have informed her. 'They are going to be devastated,' she added.

Over the previous few weeks Griffin has posted photographs on Fb, together with one through which he frolics within the snow with Tracy Baker, a former Dragons' Den contestant, and their two-year-old son.

He beat my head towards the bottom 

Answering the door at his dwelling, Griffin, who suffers from a neurological situation, stated he was unable to debate the case due to a confidentiality order. 'I can't speak concerning the situations of my launch or the deal – it was a closed listening to,' he stated.

However displaying notably little contrition, he went on to talk enthusiastically about enterprise alternatives.

'I'm very busy with enterprise, it's fairly thrilling stuff,' he stated. 'We're rolling out issues in France and I've bought numerous issues in America.'

He additionally talked self-pityingly about how the homicide case had 'ruined my life, my fame, my work'.

He added: 'One thing horrible has occurred and I've to reside with that. It's extraordinarily laborious generally and I've learnt to cope with it in sure methods, however it's very tough.

'Each evening I am going to mattress and I believe, "Why me?" I've to place my thoughts some place else. It's a horrible factor that occurred to me.'

The sufferer who foresaw her personal homicide: Kinga Legg was present in a Paris lodge - she had earlier warned a buddy about her turbulent relationship 

Requested how he thought Miss Legg's household would react to his launch, he stated: 'I don't know in the event that they know… Nothing on the earth would make me really feel higher than to make Kinga's dad and mom really feel higher. However I can't.'

Miss Legg's father, a former mayor of the small Polish city of Opatowek, the place his household reside, died aged 67 on Easter Sunday 2015 – 4 months after Griffin was jailed.

I attempted to defend myself and she or he fell over and banged her head on a espresso desk 

Native dealer Zygmunt Borek stated: 'I don't know what he died of and I do know the physician can't put damaged coronary heart on the dying certificates, however he was by no means the identical after the dying of Kinga. He adored his daughter.' Throughout the five-day trial in December 2014, Griffin, who as soon as ran a series of tanning salons and gadget outlets, admitted being hooked on alcohol and anti-depressants on the time of the killing in Could 2009.

However his lawyer's declare that Griffin's reminiscence had 'disappeared right into a black gap' was rubbished by prosecutor Philippe Courroye.

'It's not possible to consider this state of amnesia, this savage aggression,' Mr Courroye stated.

And he identified in court docket that in an interview with The Mail on Sunday in Could 2013, Griffin stated: 'She fired a stun gun disguised as a stick of lipstick at me after which punched me within the face, catching me with a hoop.

'I attempted to defend myself and she or he fell over and banged her head on a espresso desk.'

However Mr Courroye stated he didn't consider any of Griffin's variations of occasions, saying the case was a traditional certainly one of 'violence towards girls'. He added that Griffin was a 'sort of gigolo' whose enterprise ventures had turned bitter and who relied on his rich dad and mom for cash.

After killing Miss Legg, Griffin tried to scrub the lodge room and phoned reception workers twice to say the couple can be extending their keep. Earlier than fleeing to the UK in his Porsche 911, he positioned a Do Not Disturb signal on the door and informed workers his spouse was sleeping.

A manhunt was launched and Griffin, who boasted he owned a Lamborghini supercar which as soon as belonged to Eric Clapton, was discovered sleeping tough in a tent in a wooden in Cheshire every week later. He was extradited to France. A psychologist informed the court docket Griffin was a 'fragile, depressive' particular person susceptible to 'suicidal tendencies' and with 'main psychological issues', but in addition as somebody who had at all times refused skilled assist.

He displayed, she stated, an 'childish angle to girls', was 'dependent' on them, and wanted to be 'mothered in any respect prices'.

Griffin started his relationship with Miss Legg in 2008, when she ran a flourishing tomato export firm, which equipped McDonald's and supermarkets together with Tesco. Her firm, Vegex, had a UK base in Oxshott, Surrey, the place she and Griffin rented a £three million dwelling.

Their relationship was turbulent and the month earlier than she was killed, Miss Legg despatched a textual content message to a buddy saying: 'Simply in case I die, you'll have proof with the copy of this textual content. He made me take so many sleeping tablets I don't know if I'll ever get up.'

One other message, despatched a couple of minutes later, stated: 'He beat me – he beat my head towards the bottom.'

On the evening she died the couple had been on their option to Monaco the place they deliberate to marry, although Miss Legg's dad and mom stated they believed Griffin was drawn to their daughter due to her fortune.

KILLER PLAYS HAPPY FAMILIES ON FACEBOOK 

Ian Griffin has posted a string of photographs on Fb

Since his launch from jail, Ian Griffin has posted a string of photographs on Fb, together with this certainly one of him within the snow with fiancee Tracy Baker and their two-year-old son.

Griffin uploaded a number of snaps of the household larking within the snow.

The convicted killer additionally modified his profile image to a weird picture of himself hiding his face with a Christmas wreath.

Photos he uploaded earlier than his conviction included these of a shiny orange Lamborghini, personal jets and a luxurious yacht.

On the time Griffin was already in a relationship with Miss Baker, which endured all through his time with Miss Legg.

Miss Baker had a toddler with Griffin after he was controversially launched on bail in 2013.

At an attraction listening to in April final 12 months, Griffin's homicide conviction was upheld, however his sentence was lowered to 14 years after judges took into consideration his resolution to just accept duty for what occurred, alongside along with his good behaviour whereas in jail. Griffin's final phrases in court docket had been: 'It was my job to be the protector, the one who handled our wants. I virtually did. I'm extremely sorry now.'

In France it's regular for these convicted of homicide to serve not less than two-thirds of their sentence.

A authorized supply stated: 'Sentences for homicide are comparatively low right here, so the rules are for almost all of a sentence to be served.'

Griffin's attorneys didn't reply to requests to remark. 

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