Drug dealers' deaths were planned

Keith Cowell, his son Matthew and a third man were shot dead

Three drug dealers were slaughtered with a sub-machine gun in a planned killing, a court has heard.

Keith Cowell, 42, his son Matthew, 17, and Tony Dulieu, 33, from Essex, were killed at the Cowell's Bishop's Stortford house on 28 August, 2007.

St Albans Crown Court heard brothers Miran Thakrar, 24, of no fixed address, and Kevan Thakrar, 21, of Lomond Way, Stevenage, deny three counts of murder.

They also deny attempting to murder two women at the Plaw Hatch Close house.

The brothers stabbed Christine Jennings, 54, and Matthew Cowell's girlfriend Claire Evans, 23, after they ran out of ammunition, because they were witnesses, the court heard.

Attempts to flee

Mrs Jenning's son Ian, who had brought cocaine to the Cowell's home, escaped by hiding in the back garden.

The Thakrars also deny possession of an Ingram Mac 10 sub-machine gun with intent.

Their brother Jay Thakrar, 25, of Lomond Way, Stevenage, pleaded not guilty to two counts of assisting an offender.

Their father, Atul Thakrar, 47, of Compton Place, Northwood, London, pleaded not guilty to assisting Kevan Thakrar to attempt to leave the UK between 28 August and 5 September.

Co-defendant Amanda Dansie, 21, of High Street, Buntingford, Hertfordshire, pleaded not guilty to assisting in the escape of Miran Thakrar from the UK between 28 August and 9 September.

Yilay Tufensoy, 20, of Nags Head Road, Enfield, London denied two charges of assisting an offender.

'Unarmed and defenseless'

Prosecutor Stuart Trimmer QC, said: "The backdrop and reason for this slaughter is set in drugs dealing.

"Keith and Matthew Cowell were supplying drugs to the first defendant Miran Thakrar. Ian Jennings was supplying the Cowells. The drugs were Class A drugs - cocaine. The supplies were of quantities measured in kilos or half kilos.

"Disputes in this world are settled with violence - sometimes gross violence. The instant dispute appears to be over the quality of the drugs previously supplied.

"The nature of this slaughter propels this underworld into public gaze. What was done - the murders - dwarfs the background."

The trial continues.