Two 'hitmen' found guilty of murder in van Hoogstraten trial

Two hitmen accused of carrying out a contract killing for a millionaire property developer were convicted of murder yesterday. David Croke, 58, and Robert Knapp, 57, were found guilty at the Old Bailey of murdering Mohammed Raja, 63, at his home in Sutton, Surrey.

But after more than six days of deliberation, the jury could not reach a verdict on Nicholas van Hoogstraten, 57, the man accused of ordering the hit.

Despite being told by the judge, Mr Justice Newman, that he would accept a majority verdict on Mr van Hoogstraten, the jury failed to make a decision and were sent home until Monday when they will begin deliberations again.

Mr van Hoogstraten is alleged to have ordered Croke and Knapp to murder Mr Raja after the businessman fell out with him over property deals and launched a High Court action branding the multi-millionaire a fraudster. The prosecution alleges that, although Mr van Hoogstraten was not present when the killing was committed, he was guilty of murder because he counselled, encouraged or persuaded the hitmen to do it.

Knapp and Croke killed Mr Raja on 2 July 1999 after he opened the door of his home to them. They pushed him into the house and stabbed him five times in chest. The gun went off, showering plaster from the ceiling on to the killers and their victim. The gun was reloaded and Mr Raja was shot in the face at point-blank range. Mr Raja's last words were: "These are van Hoogstraten's men. They've hit me, they've hit me," the jury was told. Following the murder, the hitmen dumped their Transit van and set it alight.

Hours later they drove to a drug dealer in Crayford, Kent, to buy heroin. When the dealer noticed their hair was singed, the pair said they had been "lighting bonfires". Compost in the back of the van matched compost found at Croke's mother's home, and a witness picked out Croke as the man who drove the Transit away from the murder scene.

After the verdicts were read out, Knapp, of Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick, turned to the jury and said: "You have convicted an innocent man." As he was being led away he told the judge: "You can send it in the post." Croke, from Brighton, was not in court.

Giving evidence earlier, Mr van Hoogstraten said he had had nothing to do with the killing, describing Mr Raja's lawsuit as "laughable". Referring to his own estimated wealth he said: "It's all relative. Even if one has £500m it doesn't go very far."