The boss of a warehousing company was “summarily executed” when he was shot at point-blank range by a robber, a court has heard.

Akhtar Javeed, from East Ham, was “defenceless” and was trying to escape from his premises in Digbeth, Birmingham, with his hands bound when he was shot three times.

Alleged gunman Tahir Zarif, from Derby, has been found unfit to stand trial for murder and a jury at Birmingham Crown Court must decide whether he carried out the act.

James Curtis QC, prosecuting, said the incident happened at Direct Source 3 in February 2016.

Following a previous trial, a defendant from Leicester was acquitted of murder but convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to rob and jailed for 23 years.

Another man was found guilty of conspiracy to rob, while a third defendant admitted conspiracy to rob.

But Mr Zarif, 30, fled the country a few days after the shooting, going to Pakistan, from where he has been extradited.

Opening the case against Mr Zarif, Mr Curtis said attempts were going to be made to get 56-year-old Mr Javeed to open a safe, but that he had tried to make a break for it.

The prosecutor said: “The manager went outside that room and then resisted Zarif’s order.

“Zarif shot him in cold blood in both legs.

“He was defenceless and he was now wounded and his hands bound with cable ties and he was summarily executed in that state.

“Zarif shot him twice more at point-blank range.

“He still willed himself on but collapsed and died moments later just outside the door.

“A passer-by tried to save the victim. Paramedics arrived. They did everything they possibly could.”

The trial continues.