A British resident fighting extradition to Romania has told how he fears he will die in prison if he is deported to face “unfounded” corruption charges.

Alexander Adamescu says he will suffer the same fate as his father Dan, who has died in hospital as a result of blood poisoning contracted in a Romanian jail.

Mr Adamescu Jnr claims corrupt elements within Romanian state are determined to destroy his family and seize their business assets.

Mr Adamescu Snr, 68, a millionaire businessman who owned one of Romania's largest opposition newspapers, died in a hospital on Monday night after contracting sepsis at the notorious high security Rahova prison, where he was serving four years for bribery.

His son, who lives in London with his wife and three young children, told The Daily Telegraph: “The appalling treatment of my father demonstrates the total breakdown of the rule of law and due process in Romania, and the vindictive persecution that its government authorities have inflicted upon him.

“By killing my father they have put me on notice of their intentions. If extradited, I fear it would not be long before I, too, would be disposed of and my little children orphaned.”

Mr Adamescu added: “Should the UK ignore my, and many others’ warnings, about the parlous state of justice in Romania and fail to prevent my unlawful extradition, it is inevitable that I will be subject to the same persecution and abuse that claimed my father’s life. I have no doubts that I'm to be done away with next to finish the job.”