Three men and two women were today convicted of a “honeytrap” killing.

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

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

When he returned to the second floor of the flats on 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 and jaw.

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

Watford Observer: Vishal GohelVishal Gohel

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.

Tevin Leslie, 23, of Hurst Street in Brixton, was convicted of murder. He had admitted conspiracy to rob.

Sakeen Gordon, 22, of Uxbridge Road, Ealing, was convicted of murder by a 10-to-one majority and conspiracy to rob.

Brandon Browne, 22, of Laburnham Road, Rochester, Kent, was found not guilty of murder but convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob.

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

Yarley Georgia Bruce-Annan, 22, of Harts Lane in Barking, was convicted of murder and had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob.

Faith Hoppie, 22, of Blake Avenue, Barking, was found not guilty of murder but convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob.

Tiana Edwards Hancock, 20, of Fresh Wharf Road, Barking, was cleared of murder, manslaughter and conspiracy to rob.

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.

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

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

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)

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 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 remanded the three men and two women in custody for sentence on September 26. He excused the 11 jurors, who had sat on the trial for nine weeks, from jury service for the next 10 years. They had been deliberating their verdicts for 21 hours 36 minutes.