A man was murdered in his own flat after being set up in a “honeytrap” by three young women, a jury heard.

Vishal Gohel, 44, had been expecting to have sex, but was gagged and beaten when three male accomplices arrived to rob him, it was alleged.

Prosecutor Charlotte Newell KC told St Albans Crown Court, on Tuesday (May 16), that on the morning of January 23 last year a neighbour saw Mr Gohel’s front door was ajar and the kitchen light on.

When he returned to the second floor of the flats in Bushey High Street at 10pm he noticed the door was still open and decided to check.

She said he knocked on the door and went in to make a “horrifying discovery”.

“Mr Gohel was lifeless on the floor of the bedroom. Gaffer tape was round the lower part of his face. A post-mortem examination found he had suffered a significant blow or blows to the head.

“Both sides of his face were injured. There was internal bruising to his scalp, eyes jaw.

Watford Observer: Vishal GohelVishal Gohel

“There was brain damage and his voice box had been fractured, consistent with squeezing of the neck.”

The prosecutor said the second-floor flat had been tidied in an effort to clean the scene. Mr Gohel’s iPhone and iWatch had been taken.

She said he was the victim of a “honeytrap” where three women had gained access on the promise of sexual liaisons that never happened. They allegedly gained entry to allow the males in to steal property.

Six defendants deny murder. The males are: Tevin Leslie, 23, of Hurst Street, Brixton, London; Sakeen Gordon, 22, of Uxbridge Road, Ealing; Brandon Browne, 22, of Laburnham Road, Rochester, Kent.

The three female defendants are: Yarley Georgia Bruce-Annan, 22, of Harts Lane in Barking; Tiana Edwards Hancock, 20, of Fresh Wharf Road, Barking; and Faith Hoppie, 22, of Blake Avenue, Barking.

Watford Observer: A police presence by Mr Gohel's flat in Bushey High StreetA police presence by Mr Gohel's flat in Bushey High Street (Image: Newsquest)

Ms Newell told the jury that Tevin Leslie has admitted the manslaughter of Mr Gohel and conspiracy to rob him.

The other five defendants deny those charges.

The jury heard the victim had been in contact with Bruce-Annan on Saturday, January 22 on Craig’s List - an online market website where goods and services are offered.

The female defendants had left Barking in a cab, that cost £42.75, and arrived in Bushey at 1am in the morning.

The men arrived at the scene in Tervin Leslie’s Audi at 2.25am. Browne had been picked up in Bromley. Leslie then drove onto Ealing to pick up Gordon, who is his cousin.

Watford Observer: A police presence by Mr Gohel's flat in Bushey High StreetA police presence by Mr Gohel's flat in Bushey High Street (Image: Newsquest)

“It was the culmination of a plan that had been brewing throughout the day,” said Ms Newell.

Earlier Mr Gohel had been recorded on CCTV at a convenience store near his home at 10.25pm where he bought alcohol, soft drinks, cigarettes, and condoms.

He had borrowed £100 in cash from his mother, who lived nearby, and also withdrew £100 from a cash machine.

The prosecutor said he had been seen on CCTV wearing the iWatch. This was missing when his body was found. She said the watch, the £200 cash and his iPhone were stolen.

“No attempts had been made to contact the emergency services, but there had been efforts had been made to clean the flat. He was dead or dying when they left the flat. There was no attempt to provide assistance to him,” said the prosecutor.

Judge Richard Foster told the jury of eight men and four women the trial is expected to last up to eight weeks.