The brother of a transsexual who was strangled in her own flat has called the retrial of her murderer ‘a waste of time and money’.

Destiny Lauren was found half-naked in her flat in Leighton Crescent, Kentish Town, in November 2009, with her hands tied behind her back with stockings and later died.

Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith upheld a sentence of life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21-years on Friday (September 23) following a four-week retrial of her 23-year-old killer Leon Fyle.

Ms Lauren’s brother Julian Samuels told the Ham&High he was shocked when the case came up for review.

But he said he was glad the length of the sentence had not been cut short.

He said: “It seems a waste of taxpayers’ money and the court’s time.

“I’m very surprised that it went to a retrial and I don’t even know how he won his appeal – that was disgusting.”

Judge Loraine-Smith said the retrial had been granted on a “legal technicality”.

Ms Lauren’s family were not at Southwark Crown Court for the sentencing.

Mr Samuels, 28, of Waterloo, said: “None of the family came because they found it pretty distressing the first time. My dad found it particularly disturbing.

“It’s good that he has been found guilty again and has been given the same sentence.”

Jason McNamara, the only friend present at the sentencing, said Ms Lauren left a lasting impression on everyone she met.

The 41-year-old of College Place, Camden, said: “I just wanted to get some closure on it. I thought it was right that someone should be there.

“I could barely cope with it, so I can’t imagine what the family were going through.

“The whole thing a second time round is too much for anyone.”