Albanian double-murderer who gouged victim's eyes out was hiding in north London

Metra was apprehended by police in Watford yesterday
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

An Albanian double murderer who gouged a victim's eyes out used a fake name to live in north London.

Avni Metra was arrested yesterday after hiding from Interpol for 18 years in Britain after falsely claiming to be a refugee.

It is believed he entered the UK after fleeing his home country of Albania when he was convicted of two brutal killings, one where he beat a man to death with a machine gun.

Metra was also part of a gang that pinned a man to the floor, sliced his ears off and gouged his eyes out before shooting him dead.

The 52-year-old was housed in north London with his wife and young child after claiming to be a Kosovan refugee.

He was twice arrested and charged over domestic abuse cases against his wife but detectives did not realise Metra, who used the fake name of Avdul Mekra, was the notorious murderer on Interpol’s most wanted list.

Metra later moved from north London to Borehamwood in Hertfordshire.

After a tip-off from the Daily Mail, Metra was found by police and was apprehended as he drove through Watford yesterday.

He will appear at Westminster magistrates' court today for an extradition hearing.

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