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Five members of a gang, including two women, have been found guilty of the "honeytrap" murder of Vishal Gohel, a 44-year-old man of Indian origin, in Bushey, Hertfordshire, in the east of England.
Gohel was discovered unresponsive inside a flat in January and pronounced dead at the scene.
The prosecution revealed that Gohel had been lured into a trap by three women who promised sexual encounters, only to be gagged and beaten when their male accomplices arrived to rob him. An autopsy revealed severe head injuries as the cause of death.
During the trial at St Albans Crown Court, prosecutor Charlotte Newell KC stated that on the morning of 23 January, a neighbour noticed Gohel's front door ajar and the kitchen light on.
Later that evening, when the neighbour returned to the flats, he found Gohel's door still open and decided to investigate. Upon entering, he discovered Gohel with injuries to both sides of his face, internal bruising to his scalp, eyes, and jaw, as well as brain damage and a fractured voice box, suggesting strangulation.
The prosecutor explained that the second-floor flat had been tidied up in an attempt to clean the crime scene, and Gohel's iPhone and iWatch had been stolen. She further revealed that the three women had gained entry to the flat under the pretence of sexual liaisons, intending to facilitate the entry of the male accomplices for robbery.
The prosecutor described the murder as the culmination of a plan that had been devised throughout the day. Shockingly, no attempts were made by the perpetrators to contact emergency services.
Detective Inspector Justine Jenkins, who led the investigation, expressed condolences to Gohel's family and friends, emphasising that specialist officers were providing support to the family during this challenging time. Jenkins also requested respect for the family's privacy.
Following the trial, Tevin Leslie, 23, of Brixton, London, was convicted of murder, having previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob.
Sakeen Gordon, 22, of Ealing, was convicted of murder by a 10 to 1 majority and conspiracy to rob.
Yarley Georgia Bruce-Annan, 22, was convicted of murder after admitting to a charge of conspiracy to rob.
Brandon Browne, 22, of Rochester, Kent, was found not guilty of murder but convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob.
Faith Hoppie, 22, of Barking, was also found not guilty of murder but convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob.
The sentencing of the convicted individuals is scheduled to take place at St Albans Crown Court on 26 September.
Tiana Edwards Hancock, 20, of Barking, the sixth defendant in the case, was cleared of murder, manslaughter, and conspiracy to rob.
The Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire (BCH) Major Crime Unit conducted the murder investigation and made the arrests in the case.
During the trial, Brandon Browne, one of the defendants, claimed that he intended to steal from Gohel's flat and not to cause him harm.
Browne stated that in a three-way conversation with co-accused Tevin Leslie and Yarley Georgia Bruce-Annan, he was informed that Bruce-Annan and two other women were setting up Gohel.
Browne explained that he understood Gohel would be engaged with the females while they carried out the theft, which he believed would amount to "over 30 grand."
The police said that while the conviction of these individuals brings some measure of justice to the tragic "honeytrap" murder of Vishal Gohel, the consequences of this horrific crime will continue to be felt by Gohel's family and friends.
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