Gang of five guilty of ‘honeytrap’ murder of man expecting ‘sex party’

Yarley Georgia Bruce-Annan and Tevin Leslie were convicted of murdering Vishal Gohel (Pictures: South Beds News Agency/Fairleys of Luton)

A man was gagged, robbed and beaten to death in his own home after being set up by two women in a ‘honeytrap’. 

Vishal Gohel, 44, was expecting to have sex with Yarley Georgia Bruce-Annan, 22, and Faith Hoppie, 22, when they turned up at his home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, late on January 22 last year. 

He had borrowed £100 from his mum and drawn another £100 out before buying drinks, cigarettes and condoms for the ‘sex party’ after chatting with Bruce-Annan on online marketplace Craig’s List. 

But he didn’t realise his guests had spent the day leading up to the liaison plotting with Tevin Leslie, 23, Sakeen Gordon, 22, and Brandon Browne, 22, to rob him. 

The following morning, a neighbour noticing Mr Gohel’s door ajar stepped inside and made a ‘horrifying discovery’, jurors at St Alban’s Crown Court were told. 

Charlotte Newell KC, prosecuting, said: ‘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.’ 

Vishal Gohel was found dead in his flat by a neighbour (Picture: South Beds News Agency)

Yarley Georgia Bruce-Annan faces a life sentence (Picture: South Beds News Agency)

Tevin Leslie also faces a life term when the gang is sentenced in September (Picture: South Beds News Agency)

She said Mr Gohel had been the victim of a ‘honeytrap’, with the three women gaining access on the promise of a sexual encounter which never materialised. 

Once inside, they let their three male co-defendants inside to steal. The court heard Mr Gohel’s iPhone and iWatch were taken. 

Ms Newell added: ‘It was the culmination of a plan that had been brewing throughout the day. 

Giving evidence, Browne told jurors he had gone to the flat to steal from – not harm – Mr Gohel. 

He said: ‘[Bruce-Annan] was talking about a male she met online, and they were going there for some sort of sex party. He was divorced. 

‘My understanding was that Mr Gohel was going to be occupied with the females while we were stealing.’ 

He told the court he believed the theft would be worth ‘over 30 grand’. 

Brandon Browne told jurors he had gone to the flat to steal from – not harm – Mr Gohel (Picture: South Beds News Agency)

Sakeen Gordon was found guilty of murder and conspiracy to rob (Picture: South Beds News Agency)

Faith Hoppie was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob (Picture: South Beds News Agency)

Leslie, of Brixton, south London, and Bruce-Annan, of Barking, east London, had both admitted conspiracy to rob and were convicted of murder. 

Gordon, of Ealing, west London, was convicted of murder and conspiracy to rob. 

Browne, of Rochester, Kent, and Hoppie, of Barking, east London, were both cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob. 

Judge Richard Foster remanded all five in custody ahead of sentencing at the same court on September 26. 

A third woman, Tiana Edwards Hancock, 20, of Barking, east London, was cleared of murder, manslaughter and conspiracy to rob. 

Vishal Gohel was expecting to have sex with two women who had actually planned to rob him with the help of three men.