Bushey man murdered after honeytrap set-up, trial hears

Three men burst into Vishal Gohel's flat after he was promised a sexual liaison with three women, court hears

A man was murdered in his own home after being set up by three women in a "honeytrap", a trial has heard.

Vishal Gohel, 44, was found dead with gaffer tape on his face at his flat in Bushey, Hertfordshire, in January 2022.

The jury at St Albans Crown Court was told he had been promised a sexual liaison with the women before three men burst into his property.

Three women and three men, from London and Kent, deny murder, but one man admits manslaughter.

Tervin Leslie, 23, from Hurst Street in Brixton, pleaded not guilty to murder but has admitted the lesser charge, and also admits conspiracy to rob on or before 23 January last year.

Two other men and three women deny murder, manslaughter and conspiracy to rob:

• Sakeen Gordon, 22, of Uxbridge Road, Ealing, west London

• Brandon Browne, 22, of Laburnham Road, Rochester, Kent

• Tiana Edwards Hancock, 20, of Fresh Wharf Road, Barking, east London

• Yarley Georgia Bruce-Annan, 22, of Harts Lane, Barking

• Faith Hoppie, 22, of Blake Avenue, Barking

Prosecutor Charlotte Newell QC said that on the morning of 23 January, a neighbour saw Mr Gohel's front door was ajar and the kitchen light was on.

When he returned to the second floor of the High Street flats at 22:00 GMT he noticed the door was still open and decided to check.

Mr Gohel was found dead at his flat by his neighbour, the court heard

The prosecutor said the neighbour knocked on the door and made a "horrifying discovery" with Mr Gohel "lifeless on the floor of the bedroom" with gaffer tape around the lower part of his face.

The jury heard that a post-mortem examination showed Mr Gohel suffered severe blows to his head leading to internal bruising to his scalp, eyes and jaw, and brain damage.

Ms Newell said the three female defendants, Ms Edwards Hancock, Ms Bruce-Annan and Ms Hoppie, had left Barking in a taxi and arrived in Bushey at 01:00, with the men arriving in Mr Leslie's Audi at 02:25.

She told the court efforts had been made to clean up the flat and an iPhone and an iWatch had been taken.

"No attempts had been made to contact the emergency services," she said.

The trial continues and Judge Richard Foster told the jury it was expected to last up to eight weeks.