An enforcer in the Warsaw mafia who fled to Britain to escape justice in his homeland has been jailed for at least 30 years for a sadistic torture murder in West London.

At the Old Bailey Mariusz Florowski, 38, sneered as he was sentenced to life imprisonment for torturing a garage owner with a blow torch and setting him on fire.

Victim Benedykt Nowak had bravely stood up to Florowski and mini cab firm boss Jakub Ostrowski, 37 when they demanded part of his premises and he paid with his life.

Mr Nowak, 34, was caught on CCTV staggering from the garage as the flames burnt every scrap of clothing from his body. He died in hospital two days later.

Jailing Ostrowski and Florowski for life, Judge Rebecca Poulet QC said: “This attack involved sadistic conduct and almost unimaginable cruelty. Your attack on Ben in my view extended to torture.”

The court heard Florowski has previous convictions in Poland for offences including robbery, extortion and being involved in organised criminal activity.

He managed to slip into Britain in the middle of last year and would boast about the kidnappings he had carried out for the feared Warsaw mafia.

His friend Ostrowski came to the UK in 2004 and was running a cab firm called Polish Airbus, ferrying Polish immigrants to and from airports.

Ostrowski has previous convictions in Poland for attacking police officers.

The two men decided to use part of Mr Nowak’s garage in Southall to service Ostrowski’s vehicles and when he and his brother bravely refused the mobsters turned to force.

In February this year the killers turned up at the garage and Florowski lit a blow torch an inflicted horrific burns to his victim’s head and neck.

Both men threw petrol over him and set him alight and causing the garage’s tanks and cylinders to explode threatening to engulf neighbouring homes and businesses

Nearby church buildings were badly burned as local residents were evacuated and £200,000 of damage was caused.

Ostrowski, of Isleworth, and Florowski, of Greenford, had both denied murder, attempted murder and damaging property being reckless as to whether life is endangered.

They will not be able to be sent home to serve their sentence in Poland until 2033.