A poster boy for Romanian immigration into the UK, who was welcomed at Luton Airport by Keith Vaz before setting up his own construction business, has died in a car crash.
Victor Spirescu became famous after he was greeted by the Labour MP outside a Costa coffee branch at the airport in 2014 following the lifting of rules preventing migrants from new EU members moving to the UK.
Mr Spirescu, originally from Sibiu County in central Romania, died in a collision thought to have taken place in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. He was aged 37.
Victor Spirescu, originally from Sibiu County in central Romania, became famous after he was greeted by the Labour MP outside a Costa coffee branch at the airport in 2014(pictured)
Upon his arrival to the UK Mr Spirescu(pictured with Ms Suzana) told reporters that he was not here ‘to rob your country’, adding that he wanted to get a job, earn money, and then go back to Romania
Friends wrote tributes to Mr Spirescu on social media, with one writing, ‘God takes friends, you were the best’.
Adrian Claudiu posted on Facebook: ‘Today I lost a dear friend to me and my family… left way too fast between us.’
Mr Spirescu’s meeting with Mr Vaz, the then chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, was widely covered by the media.
The Romanian first set up as a car washer, before setting up Air Vent Systems LTD.
Mr Spirescu lived in Blackheath, south-east London, and had a girlfriend, Mates Suzana.
His death was widely reported in Romanian media and confirmed to MailOnline by Mrs Suzana, who said she felt ‘exhausted and devastated’.
Mr Spirescu’s death was widely reported in Romanian media and confirmed to MailOnline by Mrs Suzana, who said she felt ‘exhausted and devastated’. He is pictured behind the wheel of a car in an undated image, left. The suspected crash scene is pictured right
Mr Spirescu lived in Blackheath, south-east London, and had a girlfriend, Mates Suzana, who he is pictured with in this social media photo
No more details were available on Tuesday evening about the circumstances of Mr Spirescu’s death.
Upon his arrival to the UK Mr Spirescu told reporters that he was not here ‘to rob your country’, adding that he wanted to get a job, earn money, and then go back to Romania with his wife.
He has been linked to several women. He met Zoe Russell, 22, shortly after his arrival in the UK, and moved into her three-bedroom home before Mr Spirescu returned to Ms Suzana, his then ex.
Mr Spirescu(pictured on holiday in an undated photo) lived in Blackheath, south-east London, and had a girlfriend, Mates Suzana. His death was widely reported in Romanian media