A Romanian man was shot dead in an armed raid on a drug's den in Shepherd's Bush less than 48 hours after arriving in the UK, the Old Bailey has heard.

Ionut Lazar, 28, was shot in the chest at close range as he was trying to sleep during the early hours of October 22 last year.

The court heard the 28-year-old was "truly in the wrong place at the wrong time" when a gang of robbers armed with a revolver and a knife kicked down the door to the flat.

When one of the group tried to go through his pockets the well-built victim knocked his hand away - and was then shot by Yousef Mohamud, 22, it is claimed.

Mr Lazar left to bleed to death on the kitchen floor as the gang fled.

"Whether or not they were satisfied by stealing drugs or money we may never know for sure,' said prosecutor Ed Brown QC.

"This was a plainly a planned, armed, determined and joint attack.

"This group knew that really serious violence might be necessary and they armed themselves as they thought appropriate.

"Ionut Lazar had been in the UK for no more than 48 hours and he was caught up in what was a lethal display of terrible violence."

'He truly was in the wrong place at the wrong time'

The court heard Mr Lazar had arrived in the UK from Romania with his friend Doru Sauca on October 20 and went to stay with Said Ashur at his flat in Askew Road, Shepherd's Bush.

Mr Brown said the flat was used to sell or store drugs and had been raided by police the previous month.

"There is nothing to suggest Ionut Lazar was directly involved in the supply of drugs or criminality in the UK or Romania," said Mr Brown.

"He had been in the UK for no more than two days. It was the first time that he had visited the UK. It is possible he truly was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

At around 2.30am Mr Sauca left the flat to go to a nearby convenience store and was confronted by five young hooded men.

One of the group held a knife to his throat and threatened to stab him as the group demanded he handed over his money.

Mr Sauca handed over all he had - £15 - but the gang then beat him up and threatened to shoot him unless he led them to the flat.

Ionut Lazar was 'shot square in the chest'

"The gang was not content with robbing and beating Doru Sauca," said Mr Brown.

"They knew that he could lead them to a drugs house and demanded to know who was in the flat.

"There was nothing he could do and he had to tell them."

The gang then kicked their way into the flat but Mr Sauca managed to shout out a warning before running out to get help.

They confronted Mr Ashur in one of the bedrooms and Mohamud pulled out the revolver and said: "I'm not joking."

The gang next moved into the kitchen area where Ionut Lazar was resting and Nadir Munasar, 22, tried to go through his pockets.

"He was a big tall man and he knocked the hand away," said Mr Brown.

"It was then that Yousef Mohamud aimed at Ionut Lazar and shot him square in the chest. It was murder."

A third member of the gang, Hanad Mohamed, 19, also threw a mug at the victim and kicked him in the head, the court heard.

Mohamud, of St Marks Road, Notting Hill, Mohamed, of Parlaunt Road, Slough, Sufyan Elbakali, 22, of Alpha House, Maida Vale, and Munasar, of White City Estate, Shepherd's Bush, all deny murder and robbery.

The trial continues.

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